(Westville, IN) - A street in Westville closed this morning because of a water main break is expected to reopen by 5 p.m. today.

That’s according to Ryan Miller of D&M Excavating, who was involved in finding the underground main that was leaking.  He said the main has been repaired and the site is being filled back in and cleaned up.

“We anticipate having the intersection back open by 5:00 this afternoon. Valparaiso Street will remain closed to all traffic until that time,” he said.
 

Valparaiso St. was closed east of U.S. 421 after water was spotted bubbling up from the ground from the broken main before 8 a.m.

(La Porte County, IN) - A Wanatah man using a blow torch wound up setting his vehicle ablaze on Thursday.

Emergency responders were called just before 5 p.m. to the 8200 block of W. 1450 South. Anthony Christianson told police he was trying to fix the radio in his 2011 Jeep Liberty and was using a blow torch to heat the shrink wrap around the wiring.

At one point, police said he placed the blow torch down but it tipped over and caught some trash in his vehicle on fire.  Christianson grabbed a fire extinguisher from his home but was not able to put out the flames.

Police said the metal frame along with miscellaneous metal objects were all that was left of the vehicle, which was valued at an estimated $5,000. 

(Westville, IN) - Police say an impaired driver who placed his car into the wrong gear, wound up in a ditch outside a Westville retail store on Friday.

It happened about 12:30 a.m. in front of Dollar General on U.S. 421. According to La Porte County Police, the driver said he meant to put his car in reverse but put it in drive, instead, and drove into the ditch from the store parking lot.

Nikolais Bohn, 25, of Gary had an alleged blood alcohol level more than twice the .08 percent legal limit. He was arrested for operating while intoxicated and driving on a suspended license.

(Westville, IN) - A street in Westville was closed this morning because of a water main break.

Ryan Miller of D&M Excavating said Valparaiso Street is closed east of U.S. 421 to allow for the break to be repaired.

He said U.S. 421 will remain open but could be reduced to one lane with flaggers directing northbound and southbound traffic.

Miller said it could take several hours to fix the broken main or longer depending on the amount of time it takes to locate the break underneath the ground. He said there was water bubbling up from the ground but that water could have traveled some distance before emerging from the soil.

“It might not be exactly where it’s coming out of the ground,” he said.

(South Bend, IN) - Two La Porte brothers will be going to prison for stealing money from victims' bank accounts and using the funds to bet on sports.

Raymond Smith, 27, was given a 70 month sentence in U.S. District Court in South Bend.  Bruce Smith, 25, was sentenced to 39 months in prison. Court documents show they stole more than $700,000 from 60 victims after accessing their bank account numbers and passwords in 2021. Part of the sentence requires them to pay back the stolen funds. The older brother must also pay more than $160,000 to the Internal Revenue Service for not paying taxes on the stolen money, according to court records.

Authorities said the men obtained personal information from the victims like social security and bank account numbers and answers to bank account security questions.  The information was used to open accounts on sportsbook wagering sites, which allowed money from the banks of the victims to be transferred into the betting sites, authorities said.

(Michigan City, IN) - Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch has released a schedule for a series of eight town hall events in 2025 that will facilitate face-to-face conversations between residents, businesses, herself, and other leaders from the municipal government.

“Open communication and transparency are major priorities for my administration.  I want to be sure we’re able to address concerns, provide updates and acknowledge the community’s contributions and achievements,” she said.  

Each town hall event is expected to last approximately 90 minutes; and they are set at various locations around Michigan City to ensure accessibility. The schedule is as follows:

• Thursday, Feb. 13, 5:30 p.m., City Hall, 100 E. Michigan Blvd.
• Monday, March 31, 5:30 p.m., HOPE Center, 222 McClelland Ave.
• Thursday, May 22, 5:30 p.m., American Legion Skwiat Post, 121 Skwiat Legion Ave.
• Wednesday, June 25, 5:30 p.m., Zion Hill MBC, 123 Helen St.
• Tuesday, Aug. 27, 5:30 p.m., DAV, 2301 Ohio St.
• Thursday, Sept. 25, 5:30 p.m., New Hope MBC, 819 W. 7th St.
• Thursday, Oct. 30, 5:30 p.m., Fire Administration Building, 2510 E. Michigan Blvd.
• Wednesday, Dec. 10, 5:30 p.m., City Hall, 100 E. Michigan Blvd.

“We’ll be talking about public safety, economic development, infrastructure, garbage pick-up, parks and recreation, and more.  It’s important to us to educate our residents and businesses on the services their city government provides, and to get their feedback so we can identify how we can improve those services,” Nelson Deuitch said.

(La Porte, IN) - The group Preserve Historic La Porte, is renewing its call for the school corporation to accept its offer aimed at preserving Kiwanis Field.

The group is urging the school corporation to accept its offer to pay for both a study to determine the cost of renovating the stadium constructed in 1950, and the cost of applying to have Kiwanis Field placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mark Kurth, president of the preservation group, said a place on the national historic registry would make Kiwanis Field eligible for grants to help pay for the renovation and future maintenance.

Both sides have talked in recent months but, so far, the school corporation has not responded to the offer.

“The school board has been resistant to that offer.  We hope that they’ll reconsider,” he said.

Kurth said an online petition drive to preserve the stadium where athletic events like high school football games are played has generated more than 1,000 signatures.

The organization is worried the declining condition of Kiwanis Field, if left addressed, will make any renovation more costly and jeopardize its future.

“To date, no plans have been advanced to address the deferred maintenance or unspecified challenges at the stadium.  Left unattended, repairs will only get more costly.  Inaction is essentially demolition by neglect,” said Preserve Historic La Porte officials.

(Michigan City, IN) - A man was arrested at Blue Chip Casino for allegedly having a large amount of drugs in a bag he left on the gaming floor Tuesday.

According to the Indiana Gaming Commission Police, the man was playing a slot machine with a black bag in his lap. When he got up from the slot machine, he placed the bag on the floor and walked away. About 45 minutes later, casino security was notified about the bag still on the floor and opened it. Nearly 30 grams of methamphetamine along with a number of empty plastic baggies were allegedly found inside, police said.

Police said the suspect was still on the casino floor when confronted about the bag, then taken into custody.  Malcolm Smith, II, 39, of downstate Greencastle, could face anywhere from a 10 to 30 year sentence on the most serious charge.

(Michigan City, IN) - Charges have been filed against a Michigan City woman accused of having drugs and malnourished dogs inside her home after police responded about a photo of a child with a gun.

Michigan City Police said they went to the home of 33 year old Erica Cooper after learning Monday about a photo of a child posing with a handgun posted on social media. A search of the Kentucky St. home allegedly turned up 37 grams of cocaine, several firearms and three emaciated dogs in cages with no food or water. According to authorities, Cooper denied the cocaine and most of the guns recovered from the residence belonged to her.

She could face anywhere from a 10 to 30 year sentence on the most serious count of Level 2 felony dealing in a schedule I,II III controlled substance. Other charges filed against her include neglect of a dependent for allegedly leaving her children home alone while on a trip to Indianapolis.

Her son, who posed with the gun, told police he did so to protect himself because there was no adult in the home when he was being threatened by individuals, court documents revealed.

Among the other charges are unlawful possession of a firearm for having a prior felony condition and possession of a stolen firearm related to a shotgun in her home reported stolen from Virginia.

(Michigan City, IN) - There’s a new principal at Michigan City High School.

Mohamed Mroueh was principal at Barker Middle School in Michigan City before heading overseas with his family for a nine year stay in India where he also served an as educator.

Mroueh expressed appreciation for the opportunity to resume his career in the community at Tuesday night’s school board meeting.

“I’m truly humbled to have been given this chance to return to Michigan City Area Schools. It’s an honor to be part of this community again,” he said.

He replaces Kyle Dean, who had been the principal for about the past three years. 

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County has revealed that suicide rates in the county dropped in 2024, in comparison to previous years.

La Porte County Coroner Lynn Swanson reported just 21 suicides in 2024, compared to 27 the previous year. She said all but four of the suicides last year resulted from the use of a gun or rope.

Swanson also reported 31 drug overdose deaths in 2024, which equaled the number from the previous year. She said 21 of those deaths resulted from the use of fentanyl.

(Washington D.C.) - An order from President Donald Trump to freeze spending on federal grants and loans has been rescinded.

The decision comes as a relief from officials in state and local governments along with other groups relying on federal dollars that those future monies could be at-risk.

Administration officials previously stated the notice to halt loans and grants was necessary to conduct a review to ensure that spending complies with Trump’s recent blitz of executive orders.

The freeze was scheduled to go into effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday, but was stayed by a federal judge until at least Monday.

“This action should effectively end the court case and allow the government to focus on enforcing the President’s orders on controlling federal spending," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

(Washington D.C.) - Congressman Frank Mrvan is opposed to the potential temporary freeze on federal spending on grants and other forms of assistance.

President Trump signed an executive order to temporarily withhold further spending on things like grants and loans to review those programs in an effort to cut wasteful spending.

A court has overturned the executive order until ruling whether such action is a violation of federal law.  

Mrvan called the decision by the president disappointing considering those dollars “have a known and positive impact for countless individuals, small businesses, municipalities in Northwest Indiana, as well as non-profit organizations that provide needed assistance to children, seniors, and veterans. 

Mrvan, who’s a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said he will continue to fight to ensure that federal funds are spent as required under law to keep the nation and communities “safe, to lower costs, and to grow our economy.”

“My office has already received many calls today from constituents and organizations directly impacted by this freeze, and I would encourage all those who may need assistance to also contact my office and we will continue to advocate for Northwest Indiana in addressing this matter,” he said.

The Trump administration said the freeze, if allowed, would not impact things like Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid.

(La Porte, IN) - Future maintenance of the brick sidewalks and other infrastructure in downtown La Porte has become an issue.

For years, property owners in the Business Improvement District have paid a separate tax to help maintain downtown, but those funds are no longer enough.

One reason is the brick sidewalks, brick planters and other downtown amenities were put in about 25 years ago and more work is needed now to keep up on their maintenance.

Bert Cook, Executive Director of the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership, said there are more than 130 brick planters downtown and some have been damaged over the years in collisions by motor vehicles.  

He said potential options include property owners in the district paying a higher tax to generate more revenue for maintenance.

“It’s particularly challenging when you see someone hit a planter, which has happened numerous times in the downtown. We don’t possess the resources to keep that infrastructure up,” he said.

Cook said a number of the decorative trees downtown have also died from reaching their lifespan and need replacing. Other maintenance needs include electrical work for decorative lighting in the district.

The issue was discussed last night during a Small Business Roundtable at City Hall.

(La Porte County, IN) - The schools in Wanatah would become charter schools under a proposal at the statehouse.

House Bill 1136 is aimed at dissolving five public school districts and replacing them with charter schools since more than half of the students in those districts go to school elsewhere.

One of the districts that would be impacted by the measure is the Tri- Township School Corporation.

The Tri-Township School Board approved a resolution strongly opposing the measure, citing a 100 percent graduation rate last year and test scores being above the state average.

The school corporation consists of a K-12 facility in Wanatah along with the gymnasium in LaCrosse for basketball and other indoor student athletic events.

(Indianapolis, IN) - A proposal that would have downgraded Michigan City from a second- to third-class city is now dead.

State Senator Mike Bohacek of Michiana Shores has removed his bill from a committee that was scheduled to give it consideration later this week. The decision by Bohacek was in response to public concerns.

“I highly value the opinions of those in Senate District 8, and after conversations with many local community leaders, including several from one of the cities that would have been affected by Senate Bill 436, I have decided to pull the bill,” he said.

His measure would have downgraded Michigan City, East Chicago, and Marion to third-class city status because of populations noticeably lower from when they were classified generations ago.

In Michigan City, adoption of the bill would have meant the city council going from nine to seven members and the city controller’s office being eliminated. Bohacek said that would have saved Michigan City about $400,000 a year at a time when the state wants to reduce property taxes.

Among the opponents was Jack Arnett, Executive Director of the La Porte County Convention and Visitors Bureau.  Despite population loss, Arnett said the government structure now in place is needed to accommodate the thousands of more visitors flocking to what’s become a regional destination city.

“Our infrastructure gets a lot more pressure not from just the folks that live here,” he said.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population has dropped from nearly 40,000 in 1970 to just over 32,000 in 2020. There’s also been a slight increase in Michigan City’s population in recent years, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures.

(Indianapolis, IN) - Indiana Governor Mike Braun is ordering law enforcement agencies statewide to cooperate with ICE and support their federal immigration enforcement efforts.

After signing an executive order today, Braun said Indiana will focus on finding those in the state that entered the country illegally and committed crimes.

“Over the last four years, the increase in illegal aliens flooding our country has created a significant threat to public safety for Hoosiers and allowed bad actors to abuse American generosity, costing taxpayers at every level. That ends now,” Braun said.

“Indiana will cooperate fully with the federal government, offering the assistance of the Indiana National Guard while strengthening our own efforts at home to keep illegal aliens with criminal histories out of our communities,” he said.

The order supports President Donald Trump’s federal response to immigration. The president made mass deportations of undocumented immigrants a central campaign promise.

(La Porte County, IN) - Numerous items were taken from a home that was broken into close to Lake Michigan while the owners were in Arizona.

Duaine Gorbonosenko, 50, and Tara Vowels, 37, are charged in LaPorte Superior Court 1 with Level 4 felony burglary. Officers on November 22 responded to the 200 block of Shorelane Drive near Long Beach after a neighbor watching the home for the owners discovered the burglary.

Police found an outside door forced open and numerous items such as a television, and king size mattress, taken from the residence.  The burglars also left two used, but unflushed toilets.

The investigation leading to the arrests on January 16 revealed at least one person was paid cash to help carry the items into a cargo van, which appears to have made several trips to the home over multiple days. Police said buyers were then sought for the assortment of stolen merchandise that included smaller items like a fur coat, purses, and battery chargers. 

The investigation also indicated there was potential for them to come back for a Lexus still inside the garage, according to court documents.

Each of the suspects could receive anywhere from a two to 12 year sentence.

(Jasper County, IN) - A man killed in a police shooting in the area was recently pardoned by President Trump.

Matthew Huttle, 42, of Hobart received a pardon for his role in the Capitol building riot four years ago in Washington D.C.  He was killed two days ago by a Jasper County Sheriff's Deputy during a traffic stop.

Indiana State Police said early findings of the investigation show the deputy stopped his car and was trying to arrest the suspect when a fight started.
 

Police said the deputy fired the shot during the altercation, killing the man who was in possession of a gun.

(Jasper County, IN) - A teenager from LaPorte County was killed in a fiery single vehicle crash in northwest Indiana.

A passenger was rescued and taken by medical helicopter for treatment.

The crash happened early Saturday in Jasper County.  According to police, the 19 year old driver from LaCrosse ran a stop sign at a three way intersection and drove head on into a ditch. The vehicle then caught fire.

An individual who called 911 pulled the passenger out of the burning vehicle.  Police said the male passenger was airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend.  His condition was not known.

So far, authorities have not released the identity of the victim or passenger along with other details of the crash, which remains under investigation.

(Berrien County, MI) - Berrien County Farm Bureau was one of just 24 branches nationwide recognized by the American Farm Bureau Federation for their respective programs mostly related to agriculture.

Each of the selected Farm Bureau organizations received the “County Activities of Excellence Award” and illustrated their programs during the 106^th annual AFBF convention from January 24-29 in San Antonio, Texas. About a half dozen representatives from Berrien County Farm Bureau showcased their award winning “No Farmer, No Fair Food” exhibit.

The three year old exhibit gives people at the Berrien County Fair, especially children, a  chance to learn about the role agriculture plays in the creation of corn dogs and other popular fair foods.

Berrien County Farm Bureau President Ed Kretchman said the branch’s Promotion and Education Committee came up with the idea for the exhibit, not to win any contest, but to educate the public in a fun manner.

“Recognition never really enters into it but it’s awful nice, though, when you’re recognized for your efforts,” he said.

The exhibit inside the Ag Expo building during the fair is a roughly 50 foot long, 20 foot wide maze with the path created from hay stacked three bales high on each side.  People making their way through the maze encounter about a half dozen stations.

Each station depicts the image of one fair food item such as a corn dog, elephant ear, ice cream cone, caramel apple or beef tips. A written explanation is also provided at each station that the food along with the ingredients came from a farm. There’s also specific information on things like how milk in the ice cream came from a cow and flour used to make an elephant ear was milled from wheat grown in a field. There’s interaction at each station with a volunteer answering questions.

“It’s just a way to connect consumers to the fact that the fair food they’re enjoying is made or grown by farmers,” said Sarah Pion, the Michigan Farm Bureau Southwest Regional Manager.

She works with Farm Bureau branches in Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, Van Buren and Kalamazoo counties.

Since not as many people live on farms nowadays, Pion said it’s important to teach children that food doesn’t just magically appear in stores and other places for them to grab and about the work involved in its production.

“It’s because of agriculture that we have those treats at the fair,” she said.

At the end of the maze, there’s a corn pit sitting about 18 inches off the ground for children to lean over and reach into. They can simply touch the kernels or grab one of the toy tractors in the pit and run it through the corn.

“Kids have a good time playing in it,” Kretchman said.

There are also bales of hay near the pit for parents to sit on and rest a while. Pion said nearly 3,000 children went through the maze during last year’s fair.

(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City man was shot with what appears to be a stray bullet allegedly fired by a teenager.

Jordan Johnson, 19, of Michigan City, has been charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with Level 5 felony criminal recklessness.

About 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, police said a man was walking through an alley between Buffalo and Manhattan streets when shot in the ankle. Police said the investigation revealed the gun was fired a short distance away from S. Elston St.  A second round left a hole in a wooden fence.

Police said Johnson is also facing previously filed drug related charges and other counts.

(La Porte County, IN) - The former Warden of the Indiana Department of Correction's Girls Juvenile Facility, near LaPorte, is suing the state to try and regain his job.

John Galipeau was named by the DOC as Correctional Executive of the Year in 2019 for his work on instituting modern correctional reform practices, which focused on tough love, and belief in rehabilitation, along with second chances. They were featured in the Netflix series “Girls Incarcerated.”

According to the lawsuit filed in La Porte Superior Court 2, it’s alleged that Galipeau was terminated without due process.  He’s seeking a return to his position along with back pay from the time he was fired in early August.

His attorney, Shaw Friedman, of La Porte, said paper work violations tied to a state owned vehicle along with time card issues, were cited to cover up what appears to be a termination driven by internal politics within the department.
 

“We look forward to conducting discovery and to gaining the due process that our client deserves and which he should have received," he said.

(Indianapolis, IN) - A bill related to deporting illegal migrants has been introduced in the Indiana state legislature.

House Bill 1393 would require a law enforcement officer to provide the name, address, and other information, about the identity of a suspected illegal alien to federal immigration officials.

The mandate would apply when an officer arrests or issues a citation to a person suspected of not being in the country legally.  Currently, that proposal is before a House Committee for possible further review.

(Jasper County, IN) - Indiana State Police are investigating an officer-involved fatal shooting in Northwest Indiana from over the weekend.

According to ISP, the shooting happened early Sunday during a traffic stop in Jasper County. During the traffic stop, police said the officer attempted to arrest the suspect, but the individual resisted, leading to an altercation. The altercation resulted in the officer firing his weapon and fatally wounding the suspect, who was in possession of a firearm.

Once the investigation is completed, police said the findings will be presented to prosecutors for further review to decide if charges are warranted.

No further specifics surrounding the incident were provided.

(La Porte, IN) - La Porte’s public school district has a new podcast. It’s called "Inside La Porte Schools" and is hosted by schools superintendent Dr. Sandra Wood.

The podcast launched this week with a two-part discussion on Kesling Intermediate School and the inclusion of 5^th grade into the middle school model. Introducing the first episode, Dr. Wood explained, “It really came to our mind that we need to talk about the 5^th grade and the Kesling campus as the first, sort of, hot topic to dig into, because we know this is a topic that is important to a lot of people.”

In the first two episodes, Wood talks to Kesling staff members about their program there, from initial challenges to current successes. The podcasts run about half an hour each.

You can find a link to the podcasts on the La Porte Community School Corporation website.

(Indianapolis, IN) - New Governor Mike Braun is trying to take a bite out of the state’s Medicaid expenses by limiting its ability to advertise.

As part of a series of healthcare-related executive orders earlier this week, Braun imposed a ban on television and radio advertising for Medicaid services.

Calling it “a broken program,” Braun said Medicaid officials should first do a better job running it, as opposed to enticing more people to join it.

Currently about two million people in Indiana rely on Medicaid. That’s about one in every four Hoosiers. Braun and other state leaders are trying to narrow a nearly $1 billion Medicaid funding shortfall the state.

There has already been pushback from the Indiana Broadcasters Association, whose members count on advertising.

(La Porte, IN) - Free ice skating throughout Winterfest in LaPorte is just one of many offerings during the annual three day event, which began Friday at 4 p.m.

Within the first 30 minutes, over a dozen skaters were at the city’s refrigerated rink downtown at Lincolnway and Monroe St. The rink was open until 9 p.m.

Rebekah Podgorski of LaPorte brought her three children to meet some friends from Valparaiso and Hobart after being at the rink for the first time recently and learning that free skating and free skate rental would be offered as part of the festivities.

“They’re having a lot of fun,” she said.

Brad Miller, 33, also of LaPorte brought his wife, Katie, for her first ever attempt at ice skating.   At first, Mrs. Miller looked very unsteady but, gradually, showed potential to someday keep up with her smooth skating husband.  He used to slide across the ice of the lakes here while growing up.

“It’s like riding a bicycle. I picked it up pretty quick again,” he said.

Tanya Gibson and her husband, Chris, made the trip from North Judson to teach their six year old grandson, Maverick, how to ice skate.  Gibson said she last hit the ice years ago at the rink in downtown Valparaiso.

“We’re going to try it.  Something fun to do,” she said.

Erin Alderson of LaPorte came with her 11 year daughter, Lydia, and members of her church youth group. Alderson said she hasn’t skated in a long while but later joined in.

“Usually, you’re a little rusty. You get used to things, right,” she said.

The portable city owned rink, which debuted a few years ago, topped 1,000 people in attendance for the first time this season after opening in late November.

“We’ve been pretty good at having a solid stream of people all season,” said LaPorte Park Department Recreation Director Cole Smith.

Normally, Smith said the cost, including skate rental, for a one hour session is $6 but sponsors made it possible to offer the free skating, which continues Saturday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

(La Porte, IN) - The Salvation Army in La Porte fell just short of its Christmas season fund raising goal, but still made incredible strides.

The overall goal was $150,000 from money dropped into kettles and donated through other methods.  

Major Charles Pinkston said just over $132,000 was raised. At one point, donations were down by a higher percentage, but a flurry of last minute giving brought the total to just short of 90 percent of the goal.

(La Porte County, IN) - A lawsuit against the former La Porte County Auditor has been thrown out.

Attorney Alan Sirinek was personally suing Tim Stabosz for more than $600 in unpaid legal services he provided for county government. Stabosz said he did not pay because Sirinek’s invoice lacked full details of his services and he wanted more information before writing a check.

Stabosz said he wrote is own motion to dismiss and filed it with the court at no cost to taxpayers because the La Porte County Commissioners denied his request for legal counsel on the matter.

"My motion to dismiss was based upon the lack of standing of Mr. Sirinek to sue me as a private person.  I argued that it was self-evidently only the Auditor of La Porte County who can choose to write a check, or not write a check, off the county's account.  I was pleased and heartened that, on January 14th, Special Judge Christopher A. Buckley ruled in my favor.”

Stabosz was also critical of the decision by the commissioners to pay his legal expenses, only if he was successful in defending himself against the lawsuit. He cited Buckley’s support on that matter outlined by the judge referring to the Indiana Tort Claims Act in his ruling.

"The ITCA provides substantial immunity for conduct within the scope of a public employee's employment, to ensure that public employees can exercise the independent judgement necessary to carry out their duties without threat of harassment by litigation or threats of litigation over decisions made within the scope of their employment," Buckley said.   

(Porter County, IN) - Police say an 18-year-old driver of a box truck caused a head on crash and tried fleeing, but was stopped by a witness of the collision.

Marco Guanoquiz of Chicago was taken into custody following the incident. Porter County Police said he was traveling on State Highway 8 Thursday, a few miles west of La Crosse, when he veered over the center line and struck an oncoming SUV.

The box truck continued on, but the witnesses passed him from behind, then veered in front of the truck and slowed down, forcing the fleeing driver to stop.

The driver he struck, from Kouts, was taken away by ambulance with a shoulder injury, police said.

Guanoquiz was charged with fleeing the scene of an accident.

(La Porte County, IN) - Charges have been filed in La Porte County against a man possibly in the country illegally.

Last week, a sheriff’s deputy stopped a driver for traveling 89 miles per hour on U.S. 20 near Rolling Prairie.

Police said there was no record of him ever having a driver’s license. He was also allegedly in possession of a counterfeit U.S. residency card and a fake social security card.

According to police, he claimed being given the social security card so he could get a job in the U.S. and that he was born in Venezuela. Argenis Mayz Ruiz was taken to the La Porte County Jail.

Currently, he has an initial hearing scheduled January 31 in La Porte Circuit Court on charges of reckless driving and other counts including possession of false government documents.

(La Porte, IN) - Free ice skating throughout Winterfest in La Porte is just one of many offerings during the annual three day event, which begins at 4 p.m. on Friday.

The city’s downtown refrigerated rink at Lincolnway and Monroe St. will be open again at no cost Saturday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Other activities Friday include ice sculpting demonstrations at the downtown Plaza 618 and an Eagles tribute band concert inside the Civic Auditorium at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, Winterfest resumes with an ice fishing derby from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Pine and Stone Lakes with participants competing for prizes. A snowball softball co-ed tournament begins at 9 a.m. at Lions Fields, no matter what the conditions.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., people can make their own winter hat at 1640 First St. during a basic sewing skills class taught by the Steady Stitchers, a Purdue Extension Homemakers club.

There’s also Family Fun Day that includes the showing of the movie, Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe, on the new LED wall above the stage at the Civic Auditorium.

There will also be bounce houses and other activities for children during the event, which runs from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The movie is free, but an all day pass to enjoy the other attractions costs $5, said La Porte Park Department Superintendent Mark Schreiber.

There’s also a free one hour bicycle ride beginning and ending at the La Porte Park Department Office at 250 Pine Lake Ave. at 1 p.m.

“We usually get a dozen or two people out there that really just enjoy getting around the town in the cold,” he said.

Snacks and hot chocolate will be provided once the leisurely ride is over. There will also be activities such as hiking and decorating cookies offered at Luhr Park Nature Center from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

Winterfest ends on Sunday with horse drawn wagon rides from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Cummings Lodge.

“We hope to see large crowds,” Schreiber said.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man could receive prison time on allegations of pushing a pregnant woman in the stomach.

Brian Bodo, 23, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 5 felony battery.

He’s accused of pushing a woman carrying his baby multiple times in the stomach during an argument last week at a La Porte residence in the 300 block of W. 13^th St.

Later that evening, the woman was confronted by Bodo when she showed up to a home in the 400 block of Rose St. to collect her belongings.  According to court documents, he would not let her inside then shoved her again in the stomach area hard enough to almost knock her down the steps.

The woman told police she felt some pain in her stomach area but intended to go to the hospital later to make sure there was nothing wrong with her unborn child.

Bodo could face anywhere from a one to six year sentence.

(Michigan City, IN) - A man is now in custody for allegedly being impaired when he ran over a pedestrian with a vehicle in Michigan City.

Anthony Perry, 59, of Michigan City is charged with multiple counts, including Level 3 felony leaving the scene of an accident after operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury.

According to court documents, Perry in July of 2023 was driving a vehicle occupied by the victim, Paul Fisher, and two other individuals.

He stopped and let Fisher out at Maple and Main streets then ran over the man. He then placed the vehicle in reverse and ran over Fisher a second time, police said.

Court documents revealed the injuries suffered by Fisher included a fractured spine. Witnesses told police they did not know why Perry ran over Fisher because the two men were friends.

According to court documents, Perry unable to walk on his own and with slurred speech had an alleged blood alcohol level of just over .10 percent.  An empty bottle of alcohol was recovered from the driver’s side floorboard.

Charges were filed several months later once the investigation was completed but he wasn’t served with the arrest warrant until last week.

Perry could face anywhere from a 3 to 16 year sentence on the most serious offense.

(Michigan City, IN) - A motor vehicle crash into a house in Michigan City resulted in the arrest of the driver for allegedly having a large amount of dispensary marijuana.

Leeanna Kirkwood, 35, is charged in La Porte Superior Court 4 with Level 6 felony possession of marijuana and two other misdemeanor counts of the same offense.

According to court documents, Kirkwood told police she was distracted by something and meant to brake.  Instead, she pushed on the gas pedal.  Her SUV struck the front of her neighbor’s house at 401 Southwood Drive.

Police said the crash Monday night left a gaping hole in the structure.

According to court documents, slightly more than five ounces of dispensary marijuana products were inside a backpack lying on the ground beside the vehicle. 

Police said Kirkwood did not appear to be under the influence of any intoxicating substance.  There were no injuries.

(La Porte, IN) - La Porte residents will have a chance to meet some of their police officers.

Coffee with a Cop is scheduled Friday at Biggby Coffee along Indiana 2 on the city’s west side. For 90 minutes, people can learn what the department is doing for the mental health and wellness of their officers.

Biggby Coffee will donate $1 from every purchased coffee toward the department’s officer wellness program.  The event begins at 9 a.m.

(La Porte, IN) - There’s a new man in charge of the Civic Auditorium and special events for the city in La Porte.

Gregory Pietsch was formerly the hospitality manager at the Kroc Center in South Bend. He replaces Brett Binversie, who took a position with the La Porte County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Pietsch was introduced to the city’s Board of Public Works and Safety this week.

“I’m happy to be here and willing to work and learn from all of you and hope to add to everything the Civic has going on in great ways,” he said.

Pietsch is a graduate of Indiana University at South Bend.

More events downtown, especially during the summer, along with a lot of tribute band concerts throughout the year at the Civic Auditorium are among the things that happened during Binversie’s 10 years with the city.

(La Porte County, IN) - One man was arrested, while his passenger suffered a broken leg following a drunk driving accident where his car crashed into a NIPSCO pole and a tree.

Charges have been filed against Juan Perez Hernandez, 41, for driving while impaired. Court documents show Hernandez passed a vehicle from behind at a high speed, then crashed into a pole and tree Monday night in the 7600 block of W. 275 North.

Police said Hernandez fled from the vehicle on foot, but was found a short time later. A passenger in the vehicle, Juan Batista, suffered a broken upper leg, and was extracted from the heavily damaged Dodge Ram pick-up.

Hernandez said he was driving back to his home in La Porte after completing a construction job in Joliet, Illinois. His alleged blood alcohol level was .317 percent, well above the .08 percent legal limit. Police noted there were numerous empty containers of Bud Light in the cab of the truck.

Hernandez is being charged with a Level 5 felony, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and causing serious bodily injury, as well as other counts, including operating a vehicle without obtaining a driver’s license.

(Michigan City, IN) - Michigan City could soon have fewer elected officials under a measure proposed in the state legislature that would lower the city's status.

A proposal at the state level intends to downgrade Michigan City from a second class city, to a third class city, based on the population, which is now estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau at more than 32,000. The population of Michigan City was once nearly 40,000 in 1970.

If the bill is adopted, the number of city council members in Michigan City would be reduced from nine to seven. The position of city controller would also be eliminated with those duties being absorbed by the current city clerk, who would become clerk-treasurer. 

During Tuesday night’s city council meeting, Councilman Don Przybylinski was obviously bothered by the proposal.

“When I heard of this, I was just dismayed. What is this all about?  Is there not bigger issues in the city of Michigan City or the state of Indiana?,” he said.

The bill was submitted by State Senator Mike Bohacek, a Republican from Michiana Shores. Przybylinski ordered Bohacek to be asked in writing to appear at the next city council meeting on February 4 to explain his reason for proposing the measure and potential impact on the community. If the measure passes, Przybylinski said the change would go into effect in 2027.

The bill calls for a second class city to be converted to third class status if their population is less than 31,500 for two consecutive censuses, which are conducted nationwide every 10 years. 

Currently, the number of residents in Michigan City is above that figure. However, the city would still be downgraded because the population of Indiana State Prison, under the bill, would be subtracted from the 2020 census count.  

The prison, historically, has had slightly above 2,000 inmates. The prison will close and relocate to the new combined prisons going up in Westville once the ongoing construction is completed in roughly two years.

(Porter County, IN) - A driver approaching 150 miles per hour is in custody following a police chase that began in Porter County last night.

Darien Ethridge, 30, of Indianapolis is charged with multiple counts including resisting law enforcement and possession of marijuana.

According to Porter County Police, the chase was triggered close to midnight when a sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop the driver operating a Dodge Charger near Portage.

The pursuit quickly went eastbound on Interstate 94 then northbound on Indiana 49 near Chesterton then back on Interstate 94 in the westbound lanes. Police said other drivers were nearly hit during the chase which wound up in Gary where the suspect stopped the car and fled on foot.

More than a pound of marijuana was found after he was taken into custody, police said.

(Michigan City, IN) - Measures have been taken to keep traffic flowing in a heavily-traveled section of Michigan City where a water main broke from the arctic-like temperatures Wednesday morning.

According to city officials, the break occurred on Franklin St. near County Road 400 North just north of Interstate 94.  Crews were out working the problem at around 3:30 a.m.

“Work will continue into the day until the main can be fixed,” city officials said.

Southbound traffic on Franklin St. was being diverted to the center lane. Westwind Drive is accessible to southbound travelers, but northbound drivers may not turn left onto Westwind Drive. Officials encouraged motorists to choose a different route, if possible, to avoid potential delays.

Panera Bread is believed to be the only customer without water.  No residential customers have been impacted by the main break, officials said.

“We will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available,” city officials said.

(La Porte, IN) - A military service recruiter in La Porte could face prison time for having sex with a 17 year old high school student.

27 year old Daniel Escobar is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with two counts of child seduction.

According to court documents, Escobar was a U.S. Marine Corps recruiter last month when he met a 17-year-old student through a local school.  The girl told police she met Escobar at her school then went to his recruitment office on Andrew Ave. on La Porte’s west side to get information about military service.

Authorities said their talks, eventually, became sexual then later they had sex on two separate occasions at the recruitment office.  Escobar was at Michigan City High School recently when taken in for questioning.

He’s scheduled to be in court for his initial appearance on the allegations on Friday.  He could face anywhere from a one to six year sentence on each count.

(Harrisville, MI) - A Michigan livestock producer is sending donated bales of hay to farmers in hurricane stricken North Carolina and making trips to Ukraine to help victims of the ongoing war.

Boyd Byelich, who just returned from his 19^th trip to Ukraine, believes he answered God’s calling while watching news coverage of the war not long after Russia invaded the country in February of 2022.

“I just felt this overwhelming force pulling me, pushing me, just saying go.  I had never felt anything like it in my life,” he said.

Quickly, the 61 year old Byelich started making phone calls to find out how to get involved in his first humanitarian aid effort and putting in for vacation time where he works full time so he could make it happen.

“I just knew I was going to go,” said Byelich, a conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service under USDA.

He raises more than 50 beef cattle and grows hay strictly as feed for his livestock on 400 acres at Harrisville, in the northeast part of the state’s Lower Peninsula.  Byelich is also a board member for the Michigan Forage Council.

In his first trip, Byelich said he volunteered at a Ukrainian refugee center in Poland before heading to Ukraine where he’s part of a network taking food, medicine and other aid to military hospitals, hospice centers and other places like orphanages.  He and his group of volunteers travel primarily to facilities in the most remote locations where supplies are often in shortest supply.

“We find these places and we just go,” he said.

His volunteer work in Ukraine has also included helping to build solar energy systems to restore service in homes and other facilities without power since the war.  All of his vacation time is now used to take several up to three week trips a year to Ukraine and Poland.

“Some people take cruises and go to Disney World.  I go to Ukraine,” he said.

Currently, Byelich is trying to raise funds to pay the cost of transporting four semi-truck loads of donated hay to feed livestock in western North Carolina, which was among the areas devastated in late September by record breaking rainfall from Hurricane Helene.

Since early December, he’s sent two tractor trailer loads of 30 large, round bales of donated hay to that part of the state.  All of the hay in the first load came from area growers while monetary donations covered the cost of transportation.

Byelich said the next load of hay came entirely from Carmichael Farms near Big Rapids while the $2,000 cost of hauling it was paid for by a grant from the Erik Jones Foundation.

Jones, a stock car driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, grew up in Byron, Michigan.

“When he learned about this, they were excited to participate,” he said.

Currently, he’s looking for financial contributions to send a third truck load of hay to North Carolina as soon as possible.  Byelich said he’s looking only for money because the hay he still has to give was donated over a few week period in the fall.

“As we get it, we’ll keep sending it,” he said.

Byelich said whether he starts accepting donations of hay again depends on future need and whether he can get enough cash donations for the remainder of his stockpiled hay to be delivered.

He said one of the things he especially likes to do on his trips to Ukraine is visiting with some of the recipients of the aid.

“The fact that you go in person means more to them and they will remember that more than the bag of food you hand to them,” he said.

(Michigan City, IN) - The 2025 Michigan City Special Events schedule, highlighted by the return of The Singing Sands Sand Sculpting Festival and Oktoberfest, has been announced.

“Our special events lineup is growing, which is exciting,” said Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch. 

Deuitch said a new event has also been added to this year’s schedule.

“We’ve added a Juneteenth celebration to the list and have expanded some of our returning events, which really showcase our diversity – not only in our people and cultures, but also in our city with our lakefront, downtown district and neighborhoods. We’re looking forward to another year of fun for residents and visitors of all ages,” she said.

Nine major events will shape the Michigan City Special Events schedule this year, beginning with the annual Michigan City St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 15 and the Easter Egg Hunt in Washington Park on Saturday, April 19.

Michigan City Special Events, in coordination with the Parks & Recreation Department and local businesses, will host the annual Juneteenth celebration in Washington Park on Thursday, June 19. This one-day celebration will include live entertainment as well as local art, craft and merchandise vendors, along with a large variety of food vendors.

Michigan City celebrates America with the annual patriotic celebration including the Kiddie Parade on Saturday, June 21; the Patriotic Parade on Saturday, June 28; and the Fireworks Spectacular in Washington Park on Friday, July 4.

The Singing Sands Sand Sculpting Festival has been moved to July 18, 19 and 20 in Washington Park. This year’s festival brings back some of the world’s most talented sand sculptors to create intricate works of art and showcase Michigan City’s picturesque lakefront.

“The Singing Sands Sand Sculpting Festival enters its fourth year, and we couldn’t be more excited,” Special Events Director Terry Greetham said. “In addition to the master and semi-professional competition, local companies and organizations will have the opportunity to support their favorite charity in the Community Charity Challenge. Last year, we raised $8,000 for local LaPorte County charities, and we hope to grow that this year.”

Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29 – Sept. 1, will see the return of Oktoberfest to Washington Park. Last year’s event was another huge success and the plan for 2025 is bigger and better.

“In addition to more than 50 entertainment acts and a great assortment of local food vendors, the artisan market grew to over 70 vendors last year,” Greetham said. “We want to continue to expand the vendor area as well as bring in more activities for the kids.”

The final event on the City’s special event schedule will be the Festival of Lights Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 6. The Festival of Lights Parade will welcome Santa Claus, followed by the KindlMarket and annual Chili Challenge at Uptown Social.

In addition to City-sponsored special events, the La Porte County Convention and Visitors Bureau will present the XInsurance Great Lakes Grand Prix July 28 – Aug. 3 in Washington Park.

Additional information and event registration can be found at www.emichigancity.com/175/Special-Events.

(Hammond and Westville, IN) - Purdue University Northwest’s online nursing programs offered through its College of Nursing earned top 100 rankings in their respective categories in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Online Programs rankings, released Tuesday, Jan. 21. 

PNW’s nationally recognized RN-to-BSN online program was once again named among the Best Online Bachelor’s programs in the U.S. This program offers an avenue for busy nursing professionals to earn an affordable, accelerated and convenient degree option and gain additional skills and credentials needed to advance their careers. 

PNW’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) online program also was nationally ranked among the Best Online Master’s in Nursing programs. PNW’s online MSN allows students to craft their learning plans in tandem with their schedules, including the ability to complete practicum hours where they work. 

“PNW's College of Nursing is proud to be cultivating the next generation of nurse leaders through innovative learning opportunities and experiences,” said Amy Fry, dean of the College of Nursing at PNW.

“To be ranked by U.S. News World Report and recognized for excellence in nursing education is a great honor,” she said.  

U.S. News & World Report?evaluates online degree programs that are regionally accredited and have the bulk of their coursework online, from program entry to degree completion. Programs are ranked based on a methodology combining self-reporting and peer assessment. Ranked programs employ different methodologies for respective disciplines and incorporate metrics specific to online learning. 

Visit pnw.edu/nursing to learn more about PNW’s nursing programs. 

(La Porte County, IN) - A man using a blow torch to try and thaw a frozen water pipe accidentally caught his house on fire Monday night outside of La Porte.

Emergency responders were called to 115 Maple Drive on the Island of Pine Lake at around 7 p.m. The homeowner, Donald Boody, 81, said he was using a blow torch on a water faucet on the outside of the home, when the material underneath the aluminum siding caught fire, according to La Porte County Police. 

Center Township Fire Captain Eric Haverstock said the flames started moving up the outside wall, but the man was able to put out most of the flames. Haverstock said firefighters extinguished the rest of the fire and removed several panels of aluminum siding to make sure there were no remaining hot spots inside the wall.

Police said there was moderate damage to the outside wall, and minimal damage to the inside of the residence. Boody will still be able to live at the residence.

Haverstock said the brutally cold temperatures would have been more of an issue had the fire required more time and water to extinguish. He said Boody was trying to unfreeze a pipe in the basement that provides water throughout the single story home.

(Elkhart, IN) - A La Porte man is dead from what authorities say was a workplace accident at a construction site over the weekend.

The victim was identified as 31-year-old Michael Knotts, who worked for Rieth-Riley Construction. Authorities said the accident happened Saturday at the Sunnyside Overpass project in Elkhart while Knotts was directing a pipe in a driver. For unknown reasons, the driver become disconnected and struck him, causing multiple injuries from blunt force trauma.

No further statements have been made from Rieth-Riley Construction.

(Washington D.C.) - Donald J. Trump was sworn in today as the nation’s 47^th president.

Trump is only the second president to ever hold two separate terms in office. The only other president was Grover Cleveland, the nation’s 22^nd and 24^th president.

The oath of office was given to Trump by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who grew up in Long Beach and graduated from LaLumiere School.

La Porte County Republican Party Chairman Allen Stevens said it’s a great time to be a republican here given the number of victories in the November election locally, statewide and across the nation.

Stevens said he took delight in witnessing the transition of power in the news on TV as it was happening.  

“It kind of brought great joy to my heart to see the video of the moving truck out in front of the White House moving the Bidens out and getting the Trumps moved in,” he said.

Spencer England, a republican candidate last year for Indiana State Senator from District 8, said the festivities didn’t seem real given all of the major obstacles Trump faced, including an assassination attempt, during the campaign.

“To see this guy be triumphant and to beat everything and everyone that was after him, and the things that were thrown against him, you almost have to pinch yourself.  It’s very surreal,” he said.

(La Porte County, IN) - A naked woman is accused of stealing a car and crashing into a tree near Kingsbury last night.

According to La Porte County Police, officers about 6 p.m. were called to 200 Greenlawn Dr. on a report of a single vehicle crash and the driver being naked when she approached a home seeking help. The caller also told a 911 dispatcher the driver was now inside her residence and taking a shower, police said.

Police said the investigation shows Michelle Reeves, 37, took off in a car that was idling in a nearby driveway and moments later, crashed into a basketball hoop and tree.  An officer investigating the accident went inside the home and made his way to the bathroom to find the door locked.

In response to his commands, Reeves came out wrapped in just a towel. Reeves was booked into the La Porte County Jail on charges of theft, and other counts including public nudity.

(La Porte County, IN) - A high speed chase in the La Porte area ended with a crash and arrest of the suspect two hours later.

La Porte County Police identified the suspect as 36 year old Derek Harrison.

About 7:30 yesterday morning, police said the La Porte man was pulled over at McClung Road and Park St. for allegedly driving a stolen vehicle, but soon sped away.

The pursuit went north on 100 West, east on 450 North and south on Range Road before heading east on 400 North and into a field. Police said the pursuit veered back to Range Road and across all lanes of U.S. 20 before Harrison struck a utility pole at that intersection.

Harrison, who displayed what appeared to be a handgun, remained in the disabled vehicle for about two hours until he was arrested while negotiators attempted to safely resolve the situation, police said.

The westbound lanes of U.S. 20 were closed at that location as a safety precaution while officers worked the scene.  

Police said Harrison was transported to an area hospital for treatment. The weapon he allegedly displayed turned out to be a BB gun.

(Porter County, IN) - A driver who crashed at the scales for semi-trucks on Interstate 94 near Chesterton has been charged with being impaired.

According to state police, Saturday an SUV struck a metal entrance gate before striking several street signs and light poles in the scale lanes. Police said the SUV came to rest against a metal guard rail at the weigh station. 

According to police, the 28 year old driver, Lopez Monserrath, was trying to head back to Chicago but was actually driving at high speeds in the eastbound lanes instead of the westbound lanes.

(La Porte, IN) - Old homes are full of stories. “If these walls could talk—” as they say. La Porte’s Christmas Candlelight Tour has become a showcase of old homes, and not just the structures themselves, but the stories they have to tell.

In 2023 the tour returned from a pandemic hiatus for its 20^th edition. Co-organizer and local history enthusiast Tim Stabosz uncovered a piece of lost history involving a home that was one of the first built by the Larson Brothers (a forerunner to Larson-Danielson).

This year, seven historic structures were featured—five homes, a church, and a storefront. One of the residences, Stabosz discovered, held another historic surprise.

On 1209 Michigan Avenue, across from the police station, sits a blue house in the Queen Anne style with Gothic detailing. It is currently owned by Christopher Evans and Catherine Abbs. Two years ago, the house, and downtown La Porte, received national attention as a feature on an episode of A&E’s “Move or Improve” television show. But once upon a time, it was the abode of one of this area’s founding families. “I was overwhelmed,” Stabosz said, “to find out that 1209 Michigan Avenue was built in 1883 for Dr. George Andrew, and his wife, Catharine Piatt Andrew.”

Those names might not mean much to a modern La Portean, but Stabosz recognized their place in local history.

Catharine Piatt Andrew traced her lineage back to Scottish ancestors, one of whom was purportedly held captive by pirates off the Barbary Coast before settling down in New Jersey. Catharine’s great-grandfather was a physician who served with George Washington at Valley Forge and was present at the surrender of British General Cornwallis. Her father and uncle, who had migrated to the Cincinnati area, were an enterprising pair. They managed to secure a building contract with the state of Indiana. That’s where Stabosz picks up their trail:

“Catharine Andrew’s father, James Andrew, was one of the co-founders of the City of La Porte and La Porte County.  In 1829, he and his brother, Captain A.P. Andrew, won the bid to build the first 15 miles of the Michigan Road, a State of Indiana project which ran from Madison, Indiana, through Indianapolis, to South Bend, then to (the not yet incorporated) Michigan City. The road was generally considered to be the state’s first super-highway.”

After two years of hard work, the Andrew brothers went to Indianapolis to collect payment on their $7,474 contract, only to discover that the state had no money, only land rights to some northern Indiana wilderness. Stabosz continues:

“After completing their commission in 1830-1831, and finding that the treasury for the road had no money, the brothers were paid in land scrip.   While they originally planned to sell the scrip for cash, after a scouting mission up here, and finding the land both beautiful and suitable for settlement, they used the scrip to bid on the ‘wild lands’ of today’s La Porte.”

In September of 1832, eight-year-old Catharine and her family made a grueling ten-day trek on horseback to their new home. Her father and her uncle took turns carrying her, and she would stand up behind them and peer over their shoulders as they traversed vast woods and prairies.

Years later she remembered seeing few white faces after passing through Indianapolis, then Muncie. “I have a dim recollection of passing an Indian village on the way,” she wrote. “The chief was pointed out to us. The only human being we met after leaving South Bend was a young Indian. He had feathers flying from his hair and his blanket flying behind as he rode his pony. As he passed us, he called out in bad French ‘Bo jou.’”

The Andrews headed west from South Bend along the old Sauk Trail until they reached a clearing with a single cabin in what would become La Porte. Life in the cabin was hard, Catharine later said, with no other children around and only a chalk slate and a lump of wax with which to occupy herself. There was a set of books by Shakespeare, but crickets ate the bindings off, she remembered. The family had constructed a saw mill, and their cabin doubled as a dry goods store, the sales counter also serving as a bed.

Stabosz says the Andrews wasted no time joining with other settlers to establish a town:

“Partnering with Hiram Todd, James Walker, and Walter Wilson, they organized the county (which was split off from St. Joseph’s county), and platted the town of La Porte.  The consortium donated a central square for a courthouse, along with the proceeds of each alternating lot, in order to fund the building of it.  As an interesting aside, the extra width of La Porte’s 4 original ‘main streets’—eventually to become Michigan, Indiana, State and Main (now Lincolnway)--was directly attributable to a decision by the Andrew brothers, and is an important legacy of their sound planning.”

Catharine grew up as La Porte did. When she was 20, Catharine married.

“Her husband was just as prominent as she was,” Stabosz said.  “Dr. George Andrew, besides being a lifelong MD here, worked with the Sanitary Commission of the U.S. Army during the Civil War (a privately overseen aid group, akin to the modern Red Cross), and led relief work at both Fredericksburg and Antietam, even making camp and sharing in the mess with General Grant.  Additionally, his 1911 La Porte Herald obituary indicates ‘he was a leading factor in the establishment of Pine Lake Cemetery, whose beauty is largely owing to his artistic conception and almost every existing feature of the Cemetery Beautiful was developed from plans drawn by his hands.”

In a fascinating historical twist, George and Catharine shared a branch on the family tree. His grandfather and her great-grandfather were the same person, the aforementioned Dr. John Andrew, who served with General Washington. According to Stabosz, this common relation made George and Catharine Andrew first half-cousins once removed.

It wasn’t until about 38 years later that they built the home on Michigan Avenue on land they had purchased from Andrew and Abby Osborn years prior.

The Andrews lived at 1209 Michigan for only ten years. When Dr. Andrew retired in 1893, the couple sold the house to another prominent La Porte pioneering family name, Jeremiah Ridgway Jr. The Andrews then moved to Chicago just blocks away from Jackson Park, where the famous Columbian Exposition was in full swing. In 1905, having soaked up the arts and culture of the big city, the Andrews returned home to La Porte, taking up residence just two doors down from the 1209 Michigan house. George died in 1911. Two years later their two surviving daughters (and two of their friends) died tragically in an automobile accident at a railroad crossing, leaving Catharine with nothing but memories.

In her later years, Catharine was highly regarded locally as a living almanac, always willing to share stories of the past. She recorded her recollections in a book, which is available at the La Porte County Historical Museum.

When Catharine Piatt Andrew died in 1925, aged 100, the first chapter of La Porte’s history closed. Her cousin Charles Cochran was working at the Library of Congress when he heard of her passing, which he said closed the era of the pioneers. His words provide a fitting epitaph to her memory:

“She has long survived all the others. She came as a little girl riding with her people westward over the site of the town to their cabin home. Tuesday her body was carried across the trail to its final resting place. She had been a remarkable woman in many ways and was a centenarian, and they are few enough in any community. There was something epic in her long survival of her contemporaries and it was not alone great age that distinguished her. Her wonderful memory spanned La Porte’s history.”

(Schererville, IN) - A member of the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office has earned recognition for continuing his education in a particular aspect of police work.

On Friday the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety presented the Fricke Cooper Achievement Award to Sergeant L. Scott Boswell for his individual and organizational commitment to professional development to deliver the best, most professional traffic crash investigation and reconstruction.

To qualify for the annual Fricke Cooper Achievement Award, Boswell completed nine high-level advanced courses related to crash investigation and reconstruction.  His studies included a cumulative total of hundreds of hours of course work, homework, study, and exams.

Sergeant Boswell has been with the Sheriff’s Office for over 20 years. In addition to his day-to-day shift supervisor responsibilities, he oversees all crash investigations completed by members of the agency’s Fatal Alcohol Crash Team (FACT) and has been identified within the court system as being an expert witness in crash investigation and reconstruction.

Administrative Captain Derek Allen commended Boswell’s efforts. “The completed coursework, dozens and dozens of high-profile crash investigations, and numerous successful criminal crash convictions, along with now being a recipient of the prestigious award, is quite an accomplishment by Sergeant Boswell,” Allen said. “His expertise and knowledge in this field of study is incredible. Sergeant Boswell is respected among his peers and is an asset to not only the Sheriff’s Office, but also every citizen who travels on a La Porte County roadway.”

The award was presented at the Briar Ridge Country Club in Schererville, Indiana.

(South Bend, IN) - The former football coach at John Glenn High School has been cleared of criminal charges.

Last year John Barron was charged with battery after he was accused of smacking a female student on the rear end. The incident allegedly happened in November of 2023, and was reported to Walkerton police two months later.

Following an investigation that included review of video surveillance footage, the charge has been dropped.

The Motion to Dismiss, filed on December 6 in St. Joseph Superior Court 6, states that “the veracity of the original allegations have been called into question.”

Barron, who coached for over three decades at Plymouth and John Glenn, had to resign from his position last February.

(South Bend, IN) - A fight broke out at Thursday night’s high school basketball game at South Bend Adams High School.

South Bend Riley was the visiting team. Cell phone video of the incident shows quite the melee under one of the baskets involving players, coaches, parents, and police.

South Bend Community School Corporation Communications Director Andrew Goetz later said in a statement that the altercation broke out during the handshakes following the game. Here is the entire statement:

“At last night’s basketball game between Riley High School and Adams High School, a fight occurred in the handshake line involving players from both teams. This behavior is unacceptable and goes against the values of sportsmanship and respect that our superintendent, principals, coaches, and the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) expect from all student-athletes.”

We are investigating this incident and are meeting with our teams to gather more information. Students involved will face consequences based on our Student Code of Conduct. We are committed to holding our students to the highest standards and ensuring they understand the importance of respectful behavior both on and off the court.”

“We would like to thank the South Bend Police Department for their quick and professional response to safely resolve the situation.”

“South Bend Schools remain committed to fostering an environment where safety, sportsmanship, respect, and a spirit of healthy competition are the foundation of all our athletic events.”

 Riley improved their record to 11-2 with a 70-51 victory over Adams.

(Michigan City, IN) - They’re calling it a “reimagining.”

Civic leaders in Michigan City are eager to redevelop the old State Prison site, and they are inviting the public to offer input.

A public meeting will take place Wednesday, January 22 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the H.O.P.E. Community Center at 222 McClelland Ave. to discuss possibilities for the site. The meeting will outline the process for redeveloping the site and provide the opportunity for input from residents on design, connectivity, economic development, community, and land use.

“Giving community members a voice is vital to this extensive process and the future of the site,” said Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch. “We are at the initial stages of discussing what this can mean for our city.”

“This public meeting is just one essential component of the reimagining and transformation,” added EDCMC Executive Director Clarence L. Hulse. “We have an advisory council comprised of community leaders as well as our team of experts to take on the analysis, planning, design and development of a master plan.”

Questions can be submitted before the meeting on the developing website page for the project: https://vibrantmc.com/indiana-state-prison-redevelopment-project.

Last December the state announced that it intends to transfer ownership of the Indiana State Prison site to the City of Michigan by Jan. 1, 2029. Soon after, a group of industry leaders was selected to develop a master plan and design as part of the ISP Redevelopment Strategy. Farr Associates, Terra Engineering, McKenna, Zimmerman-Volk Associates and Sam Schwartz are bringing a combined level of expertise to analyze, develop, plan, design and present recommendations for the property.

The “reimagining” phase is expected to last through the fall of 2025. The old prison won’t be vacated until the new 4,200-bed facility is completed.

(Michigan City, IN) - Plans have been announced for a plaza connecting to new commercial and retail space in Michigan City’s Uptown Arts District.

The plans call for renovating the iconic building at 711 Franklin St. and having spaces from 860 to 1800 square feet available on the first floor for lease. Those spaces would face a plaza that can used for public gatherings, including concerts, festivals and shows.

“The plaza will create a space for friends and families to create memories. With the progress happening in Michigan City, we feel such a spot is a vital and important piece of the puzzle for the future growth of the downtown area,” said building owner Nazar Kryvko.

The project includes updates to water, sewer, electrical components, roofing, windows, HVAC and a wood façade. Economic Development Corporation Michigan City Executive Director Clarence L. Hulse said he’s excited about the development.

“It is always a milestone when old buildings are given new life and an updated purpose for our city’s future path,” he said.

(La Porte, IN) - A Chicago man was chased down by police in a stolen sports car and accused of the vehicle's attempted theft in La Porte.

Enari Jones, 21, has been charged in La Porte Circuit Court with two counts of a Level 5 felony attempted theft. One evening in September, police said Jones was at La Porte Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram on Pine Lake Ave. An alarm sounded when he and another man allegedly tried to steal two sports cars at the dealership.

Police said both fled in a Chevy Corvette that was stolen outside Chicago. According to court documents, Jones was later found driving that car and captured following a high speed chase in Lake County.

Jones is currently being held without bond.

Police said a Dodge Charger Hellcat and a Dodge Durango Hellcat at the dealership were found with broken windows. One of the vehicles also had wires hanging down from the dashboard. 

(La Porte County, IN) - Nominations are being sought for an award named after a La Porte County man who made a difference in the lives of other people.

The Ned E. Kalb Community Leadership Award was established in 2011 following his passing. Kalb was one of the founders of the Leadership La Porte County organization and was the Purdue Extension Director in La Porte County for 15 years.

“We are dedicated to preserving his legacy with this annual award,” said Monica Komasinski, Executive Director of La Porte County Leadership.

After leaving Purdue Extension, Kalb went overseas to teach under-developed countries to be self-sufficient through modern farming and business methods. People can nominate someone for the award through February 28. Nominees can be individuals or organizations.

“We are looking to recognize people or groups who are demonstrating servant leadership to improve our county in a quiet and behind-the-scenes way,” Komasinski said.

A panel of local leaders will select the winner, who will be announced and honored during Purdue Extension’s annual meeting on March 18 at the Silver Palace in La Porte.

Nomination forms are available from the Leadership or Extension offices.  Call Leadership at 219-325-8223, or Purdue Extension at 219-324-9407 or 219-874-5611 for more information.

A nomination form can also be requested by email at kulman@purdue.edu , mfoell@purdue.edu or info@leadershiplaportecounty.com. and found online at https://extension.purdue.edu/county/laporte/community-development.html

(La Porte County, IN) - An SUV traveling in a grassy median struck a La Porte County Highway Department snow plow truck on Thursday. The driver who caused the crash was taken into custody.

La Porte County Police say the plow truck was struck at around 6 a.m. while it was stopped between the westbound and eastbound lanes of U.S. 30 in Hanna. After seeing the vehicle coming toward him, the plow driver, Lee Wood, 55, put the truck in reverse, but was not able to avoid the collision. The front of the westbound SUV hit the plow blade.

Police said the driver of the other vehicle appeared very drowsy and his eyes were red and glassy. Israel Guzman, 27, of Chicago, was arrested for not being a licensed driver. Investigators are waiting for blood test results to determine if he was impaired. Police said Guzman had traveled a half mile in the grassy median prior to impact.

Thankfully, there were no major injuries in the accident.

(Indianapolis, IN) - A commercial poultry farm in Jay County lost around 20,000 turkeys in early January to the first positive test for bird flu in Indiana in almost a year.

The loss happened about a week after close to a million egg-laying chickens in Dark County, Ohio, were euthanized because of infection from the same virus at a commercial poultry operation. The USDA also says the same virus in Darke County claimed more than 31,000 turkeys at two separate operations this month, and about 4,500 turkeys in Mercer County, Ohio. Both states have taken similar action to try and prevent a spread.

“There’s a lot of response going on,” said Denise Derrer-Spears, Communications Director at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health. He says the infected farm in Jay County had its entire flock euthanized after a test for the H5N1 virus came back positive on January 3.

Ever since, the farm has been working on disposing of the carcasses and undergoing a clean-up and disinfection of its operation expected to last a few more weeks before permission is granted to house more turkeys.  A 10 kilometer control zone encompassing 56 other commercial poultry farms has also been imposed around the infected Jay County operation.

Spears said farms within the zone cannot bring in or ship birds or transport eggs without a negative test and permit from BOAH to guard against human infection from the food supply.

According to USDA, Indiana ranks fourth and Ohio ninth among the states in turkey production while Indiana is also near the top in egg and chicken production.

Ohio is the second leading producer of eggs in the nation and 17^th for chicken production, according to the Ohio Poultry Association.

(South Bend, IN) - A man caught by La Porte County Police is headed to prison after he was found with close to nine pounds of cocaine.

Juan Aquino, 53, was sentenced to more than six years in prison at U.S. District Court in South Bend.  Just over a year ago, the New Jersey man was stopped for tailgating on the Indiana Toll Road outside La Porte.

Police said about five blocks of cocaine wrapped in cellophane was found under the back seat of the vehicle. The cocaine was valued at roughly $30,000.

Aquino will serve at least four years in federal prison following a release from state authorities.

(La Porte, IN) - A former locally-elected official, who was defeated in his bid for two major political seats last year, still has a heartbeat in politics.

Tim Stabosz has been unanimously reelected president of the 463GOP Republican Breakfast Club, which has existed for about 40 years. No other person was nominated for the position among the nearly 50 members in attendance. His unanimous approval seems to indicate he still has solid support within the divided La Porte County Republican Party.

“I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to serve as the club’s president for another four years,” he said.

The group is often called the social arm of the La Porte County Republican Party that includes monthly breakfasts featuring guest speakers addressing various topics. Stabosz said average attendance increased by 50 percent during his first term as president and hopes to build on that in his next term.

“I’ve been proud to boost the involvement and interest in the club,” he said.

Anyone identifying as a republican is welcome to attend, he said.

Stabosz was the La Porte County Auditor for four years until the end of 2024. He chose not to seek another term as auditor in order to run for a seat on the Board of La Porte County Commissioners last year where he lost the Republican nomination to Steve Holifield in the May primary.

Stabosz has been a central figure in the extreme political fighting in La Porte County government the past four years and blamed his loss primarily on Democrats crossing over to vote against him. He was replaced by newly elected auditor Mike Rosenbaum, who had to vacate the two years left on his seat on the La Porte County Council to assume position.

Stabosz ran for the seat during a La Porte County Republican Party caucus in late December, but the 24 precinct committee persons deciding the race chose Jim Pressel, III, by a two vote margin.

He believes staying on as president of the Republican Breakfast Club allows him to remain a key figure in shaping the party.

“There’s a continuing role for me here and it’s an important role that I’ve enjoyed very much, which is to be part of the social glue of building the party,” he said.

He previously served on the La Porte City Council for two separate terms.

(La Porte, IN) - The La Porte School Board has now updated and approved new school boundaries.

The boundaries for Handley, Riley, and Hailmann Elementary Schools were changed in response to the recent decision to close Lincoln Elementary School. Superintendent Dr. Sandra Wood said steps were taken to notify Lincoln parents as to which schools their children will be going next school year.

Based on current enrollment projections, she said 84 of the Lincoln students will attend Hailmann, 25 of the students will go to Handley, and six will head to Riley. Wood said the redistricted boundaries will put Hailmann at 77 percent capacity, Handley at 86 percent, and Riley at 67 percent.

“All three of those schools have plenty of space to accommodate these students and many more,” she said.

The decision to close Lincoln school was in response to gradual, but longstanding declines, in enrollment. Reduced funding from the state also became a factor, because incoming revenue in Indiana is determined by student head counts.

(La Porte, IN) - The health of the La Porte School Corporation will soon see new improvements.

According to school officials, the operating budget last year ended with more than an eight percent cash balance. The operating budget the previous year finished with less than one percent. Superintendent, Dr. Sandra Wood said at a recent board meeting, this shows that recent cost cutting measures are working.

“It’s a testament to the work this corporation has done to redirect the ship,” she said.

Wood said there’s still work to do, though, because the goal, ideally, is for every budget year to end with a 25 percent cash balance.  The reason is to have enough emergency funds on hand to cover unexpected costs that might arise in the future or help pay for any future building projects.

School Board President Ryan Seaburg said he appreciates the effort that was put into reversing the declining financial trend.

“I know it’s hard and I know it’s not popular but it’s necessary,” he said.

One of the decisions to help with school financing was the board’s vote last year to close Lincoln Elementary School at the end of the current school year and use it for housing the districtwide preschool program.

(La Porte County, IN) - A La Porte County gas station employee has been accused of taking money from a cash register and trying to cover it up.

Daniel Baer is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 6 felony theft. According to court documents, Baer rang up merchandise then after receiving cash payments made change with customers. He then voided the transactions to try and conceal the transactions and pocketed the cash, police said.

Authorities said the Michigan City man was an assistant-manager at the Speedway station on U.S. 421, just south of Interstate 94 where he is formally accused of taking nearly $250 during three separate transactions in September. Baer is also under investigation for potential losses to the gas station of more $2,200 during about 230 other voided transactions in a two month period.

(La Porte County, IN) - A rear end collision in snowy conditions Tuesday resulted in the arrest of a fugitive from La Porte. Additionally, one of the drivers was charged with not having a registered license.

According to La Porte County Police, the collision happened about 2 p.m. at 400 North and 900 West near Michigan City. Police said a Dodge Avenger driven by Latoia Powell of Michigan City struck the back end of a Chevy pick-up. Powell, 48, told the officer she had only received a learner’s permit, but a computer check of her identification showed her to be an unlicensed driver in Indiana.

During the stop, the reporting officer also learned a passenger in the same vehicle, Latavia Fleming, 49, also of Michigan City, had a warrant out for her arrest by the U.S. Marshal’s office in South Bend for Fraud. Fleming was taken into custody while Powell was given a summons to appear in court on allegations of not having a valid driver’s license. She was also cited on accusations of not having motor vehicle insurance.

There were no injuries reported in the collison. 

(La Porte, IN) - Residents in need will soon have access to an emergency warming shelter in La Porte.

Mayor Tom Dermody is joining forces with Center Township Trustee Lisa Pierzakowski, and Nest Community Shelter in Michigan City to provide the shelter in the former train depot on Washington Street, and is set to open  Sunday. From Sunday, until March 31st, it will open its doors from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. nightly for those who might be left out in the cold. Dermody said the shelter will provide a critical resource to those in need this winter.

“From the very beginning, the focus of our administration has been to improve the lives of all who live here. This partnership most certainly aids us in that effort while addressing a need in our community this winter,” he said.

Nest Executive Director Harrison Holtkamp said collaborations like this one assist his organization in their mission to make a difference.  

“This partnership reflects the dedication of our community to save lives in our unhoused community. This temporary emergency shelter allows our overnight guests to rest safely so that they may rebuild their lives with dignity as they reconnect with their community with trust, compassion, and respect.”

In addition to providing a meal and a safe place to sleep, Pierzakowski said the shelter, called “Nest La Porte,” will offer connections to resources that will help individuals get the support they need.

“This shelter can be the difference between life and death on the coldest nights of the season. My office will be providing hot showers, washer and dryer facilities, and, most importantly, case management services. We are committed to getting our community members and fellow neighbors back on their feet."

Dermody said the project will be driven by volunteers and donations. People interested in getting involved or supporting the effort financially can learn more at nestcommunityshelter.org.

(La Porte County, IN) - It could be a dog fight for this year’s La Lumiere college prep boys’ basketball team if they want to be invited back to the National Championship Tournament.

The Lakers lost in each of their three games against nationally-ranked opponents during the La Porte Invitational Tournament January 9-11.

La Lumiere (13-8) went into the competition at No. 12 in the ESPN national rankings, but dropped out of the most recent top 25 after that tournament performance. However, Head Coach Pat Holmes hasn’t lost hope of being one of the eight teams invited to the Chipotle Nationals in Indianapolis on April 3-5.

“We got to take care of business,” he said.

The Lakers, who were national champions in 2017, narrowly missed receiving an invitation to the tournament last year. This year’s squad has four returning starters, including forward Jalen Haralson, who’s committed to play at Notre Dame next season. Another returning player this season, guard Darius Adams, is signed to play next year at the UConn. Guard, Melvin Bell, has committed to play at San Jose State, and forward Chuck Love, III is heading to the University of Loyola at Chicago.

Holmes said this year’s team had to change their gameplay after losing two seven foot players to graduation in 2024. This year, they play more of a half-court style offense, but can move the ball at a faster pace when the opportunity presents itself. He said the emphasis is still on a balanced attack and finding open shooters on offense along with solid defense.

“All of these guys have had great moments for us and that’s what we need to be successful.  It can’t be just one or two guys,” he said.

Eleven team from all over the nation took part in this year's La Porte Invitational, which featured more than 20 of the nation’s most highly recruited players. All of the games on Saturday were played before a sell-out crowd, and were broadcast on ESPN and Youtube TV.

La Lumiere will continue to host the competition, which returns to the Civic Auditorium, for at least the next two-years.  Holmes said the event gained national television exposure in its first few years, and is great for the school and the La Porte community.

“From a community perspective it's great for people to see what LaPorte has to offer.  All eyes are on us is awesome,” he said.

(La Porte County, IN) - Warren Zeiders, who performs tghe the major hit country soung “Pretty Little Poison” is coming to this year’s La Porte County Fair.

Fair Board Vice-President Floyd Thomas made the announcement on the Morning Mayhem Wednesday with Dennis Siddall on 96.7 The Eagle. He said Zeiders will take the grandstands stage on July 10.

Tickets go one sale beginning Friday at 10 a.m. at lpfair.com.  Prices range from $40 to $65.

“Pretty Little Poison”  reached No. 1 in the country music charts in February of 2024.

(Michigan City, IN) - Big Lots in Michigan City is going out of business, and so are other stores in the chain in Northwest Indiana.

A recorded message at Big Lots on Franklin St. informs callers about the store closing “soon” along with going out of business discounts now being offered on products.

Other Big Lots locations are also closing in Portage, Hobart, and Schererville.

Gordon Brothers, a Boston-based liquidator, purchased Big Lots out of bankruptcy court and is selling about half of its 400 stores.

(Michigan City, IN) - Michigan City Police pulled over a driver, who now could face considerable prison time for allegedly having a large amount of methamphetamine, and other drugs, in his possession.

Justin Ring, 36, was charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with Level 2 felony dealing in methamphetamine and other drug related counts, along with possession of a firearm with a prior felony conviction.

Ring was pulled over January 8 for switching lanes on Interstate 94 without using a turn signal in a timely fashion. Police said Ring came to a stop on the northbound off ramp at U.S. 421. During the stop, a drug-sniffing dog alerted to the presence of narcotics. Police said 462 grams of methamphetamine in a vacuum-sealed bag was recovered during a search of his vehicle. Additionally, more than nine grams of heroin, more than five grams of cocaine, and close to 10 grams of buprenorphine hydrochloride and naloxone hydrochloride were also seized. Police also found a holstered gun behind the radio inside of the dashboard.

Ring, who is from Hobart, has a prior drug dealing conviction in Porter County from 2016. He could face anywhere from a 10 to 30 year sentence on each of the three most serious counts involving the alleged methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine along with additional time on two remaining counts.

(Michigan City, IN) - The Salvation Army of Michigan City has met its $235,000 Christmas fund raising campaign goal.

The goal was exceeded by more than $9,000.

“When we launched our 2024 Christmas Campaign, we knew we would be facing a steep climb to reach our goal but these funds are what we need to be able to continue offering services to the community,” said Major Becky Simmons.

“We had faith that the generous folks of Michigan City would step up and help make Christmas miracles happen,” she said.

Simmons said Christmas campaign funds raised through Red Kettles and other donations make up about one-third of the group’s annual budget.

In 2024, these funds helped provide holiday assistance to 614 local families, including 1,468 children, who received food and toys for Christmas. Other programs supported by the Christmas campaign include a food pantry, diaper bank, summer camp, utility assistance, free clothing room, weekend backpack feeding program, Pathway of Hope case management, and other support for the Michigan City community.

(La Porte County, IN) - A home on Pine Lake, just outside of La Porte has been reduced to near ashes following a fire Tuesday morning.

At around 9:30 am, Firefighters responded to 48 Nilewood Dr. where a home was fully engulfed in flames. The A-frame home was owned by Kevin and Stacy Pugh, and had a basement and garage.

Center Township Volunteer Fire Department Capt. Eric Haverstock said nobody was home at the time, but sadly a dog inside the residence was presumed dead.

“It went up real fast,” said Ryan Koepke, who lives directly across the street and called 911 after noticing smoke coming from the house.  Koepke said his neighbors were at work at the time, but returned after notified about the blaze.

Sadly, he said “now, they got to pick their lives back up."

Along with the home, the fire destroyed an older style Ford Mustang, a boat, and two motorcycles that were parked in the garage. Pugh allegedly owned the Mustang since he was in high school.

Haverstock said there was no chance of saving the home because of how advanced the flames had spread before firefighters from multiple agencies arrived.

“We did the best knock down on the fire as we could,” he said.

In addition to smoke and flames, Haverstock said visibility was near zero from snow, along with temperatures in the lower teens.  Eventually, parts of the heavily damaged second floor collapsed inside the attached garage beneath it.

“Everything will be a total loss, unfortunately,” he said.

Haverstock said it was too early to know what started the fire, but the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s office was contacted to help.

Firefighters from La Porte, and volunteers from Scipio, Coolspring and Springfield townships assisted in putting out the blaze.

(Michigan City, IN) - A northwest Indiana native is advancing to the next round in the NFL playoffs and was involved in a key play in Monday night’s victory.

Defensive lineman, and Michigan City native Braden Fiske plays for the Los Angeles Rams. He and a teammate, inside linebacker Michael Hoecht, teamed up to sack the quarterback early in the fourth quarter during Monday Night's playoff game against the Vikings to seemingly stop their momentum as they tried to mount a comeback.

The Rams went on to win 27-9 and are slated to play the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon. That game will be broadcast on NBC and the Peacock streaming network.

Fiske graduated from Michigan City High School in 2019, and was selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Rams. He played at Western Michigan University before transferring to Florida State University for his senior year.

(Michigan City, IN) - The Franklin St. draw bridge at Michigan City’s lakefront will be completely closed for the next few months beginning Thursday.

The bridge will be undergoing just over $1.3 million in repairs. Project Manager Andy Skwiat said there will be no motor vehicle or pedestrian traffic allowed on the bridge until the repairs are finished.  The goal is to complete the work by March 15.

“If the weather cooperates and the work goes well, we might be able to get it open before then,” Skwiat said.

Skwiat said the bridge will be closed to all traffic beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday. Barricades along with chain link fencing will be put up to make sure no vehicles or pedestrians can navigate across the historic span.

La Porte County government, which owns and operates the bridge, has spent several million dollars over the past few years on rehabilitating it during the winter so it can reopen to accommodate the busy summer travel season.

Skwiat said he expects the bridge to be fully restored within “another year or two.  It’ll be a very nice structure for its age,” he said.

(Indianapolis, IN) - Indiana officially has a new governor.

Republican Mike Braun was given the oath of office late this morning in Indianapolis then spoke to the crowd at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis.

“It is with immense gratitude that I stand before you to accept the honor of serving as Indiana’s 52^nd governor,” he said.

Braun was a U.S. Senator prior to becoming governor, a position he won by double digit percentages over Democrat Jennifer McCormick and Libertarian Donald Rainwater. Others sworn into office today were Indiana Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith and Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, who are also republicans.

(La Porte County, IN) - A La Porte man has been accused of crashing his vehicle, then fleeing the scene while impaired Sunday night in La Porte County.

According to the La Porte County Sheriff’s office, at around 6 p.m., Adam Jakich, 43,  allegedly hit a guard rail in the 7800 block of W. Indiana 2, near Pinhook. Officers located the suspect's vehicle about a half mile away parked outside their home. Jakich was arrested after allegedly refusing a blood alcohol test.

Police said the investigation shows he, and his female passenger, were returning from a restaurant/bar in Michigan City, and were heavily intoxicated. There were no reported injuries in the accident. The vehicle suffered extensive front end damage along dents and scratches on the passenger side.

Police said officers were alerted to the crash by at least one witness who stopped at the crash site and watched the vehicle drive off.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Police say the driver of a car that crashed into a home near Kingsbury over the weekend was impaired by alcohol.

Emergency personnel responded to 566 E. Bobble Ave, just east of US 35 and 400 South at around 2 a.m. Saturday. Police said when they arrived, a car was resting against the attached garage and was also inside it. The residents told officers they woke up to a loud boom prior to discovering the crash.

Police said tire marks in the snow make it appear the car drove straight into the northeast corner of the attached garage after failing to negotiate a curve.

The driver, 21-year-old Antonio Christensen told investigators he missed the curve because of his car sliding on the slick pavement. However, he was arrested with an alleged blood alcohol level about three times the legal limit.

Police said there were no injuries in the collision.

(Washington, D.C.) - Area Congressman Frank Mrvan has garnered an important committee assignment. The House Democratic Caucus has elected Mrvan to serve on the House Appropriations Committee.

That committee oversees government spending.

Mrvan, a Democrat from Highland, said it’s a position he’s been seeking since he was elected four years ago.

“I thank Leader Jeffries and all of my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus for electing me to the House Appropriations Committee so that I can advocate for Northwest Indiana and our nation through the essential work of this Committee,” he said in a statement, “and I look forward to ensuring that the federal government has the necessary resources, oversight, and direction to promote our national security, grow our economy, and create more work and wealth for everyone.”

(Marshall County, IN) - A former Indiana State Police officer has been arrested on drug charges in Marshall County.

On Wednesday 46-year-old Nathan Vanderaa of Plymouth was arrested in Plymouth after an investigation.

In June of last year, Vanderaa was charged with dealing in meth along with five other people. He was free on a $50,000 cash bond for that charge.

Now Vanderaa, who authorites say served a brief stint as a State Police officer, is being held on a $250,000 cash bond, facing charges of dealing methamphetamine, a Level 4 Felony.

Prosecuting Attorney Nelson Chipman congratulated county law enforcement for coducting a successful investigation: “ I am grateful for the work of the Marshall County Drug Task Force, Det. Sgt. Bryant, and the collaborative efforts of the officers from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department that safely conducted this operation resulting in the arrest.”

(Michigan City, IN) - A La Porte woman is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from an American Legion Post.  Natalee Stewart, 41, is charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with theft and fraud, both Level 5 felonies. 

Authorities said Stewart was a volunteer financial officer for the American Legion Skwiat Post in Michigan City. Her duties giving her access to the accounts included payroll, bookkeeping and handling the finances of the organization.

From April to November, authorities said she made over $90,000 in withdrawals from two separate accounts. When questioned, Stewart allegedly told police she used the money to gamble, pay bills and for other expenses.

According to court documents, Stewart said she intends to sell her home and use the money to pay back the funds.  She could face an up to six year sentence on each count.

Stewart arrested on Thursday following a near one month long investigation was being held in the La Porte County Jail on $15,000 bond.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Police arrested a suspected drug user during a foot pursuit last night.

Adam Jones, 33, was pushing a wheelbarrow in the area of Range Road and Chatfield Road just outside Kingsford before 11 p.m. when an officer recognized him as having a warrant out for his arrest, police said.

Police said Jones took off running across a farm field when the officer stopped and stepped out of his vehicle.  Jones then ran about 300 feet to the yard of a residence before fleeing into an open field and back toward the home before he was grabbed, police said.

Police said slightly more than one gram of methamphetamine along with six unused syringes were found on his possession. At the time, police said Jones was wanted on a charge of escape.

Police said officers responded to the Kingsford Heights area on a report of Jones pushing a wheelbarrow to possibly do some illegal dumping.

(La Porte County, IN) - A Fish Lake man was driven out of his home by fire Thursday evening.

According to La Porte County Police, multiple fire departments were greeted by flames and heavy smoke when arriving at 123 Southtown Boulevard around 6 p.m.

The home owner, Dave Ligue, 68, told officers he and his adult son along with a dog were in the livingroom getting ready to watch a college football game when he smelled smoke in the residence, police said.  Lique told police he soon discovered a back wall in the kitchen “glowing orange.”  Everyone got out of the home safely.

According to police, Lique said he had plenty of places to stay until the repairs are made to his home.

Lincoln Township Fire Chief Cyle Rensberger said the fire was contained to the kitchen but there was smoke damage throughout the structure. 

Rensberger said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

(Michigan City, IN) - Patrons of Michigan City Municipal Golf Course can expect a next-level experience in 2025.  For the first time in many years, the city will have a PGA-certified golf pro running the show.

Justin Stevens, Michigan City’s new director of golf operations, is a PGA Specialized Professional in Teaching and Coaching, Golf Operations and Executive Management.  He comes to Michigan City with more than a decade’s experience in golf instruction and course management.

“We’re excited for Justin to bring his expertise to Michigan City, where he’ll be offering private lessons, promoting junior golf clinics, forming youth leagues and enhancing the overall experience at our municipal course,” said Shannon Eason, superintendent of the Michigan City Parks & Recreation Department.

Stevens said he’s “delighted” to take on this new leadership role, which will encompass everything from developing programming to ensuring operational efficiency.

“I’m as passionate about golf as I am committed to building a culture of teamwork, accountability and excellence,” he said. “I look forward to working with the staff on fostering a positive and inclusive environment that makes our members feel welcome and eager to return.”

The move further highlights Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch’s outside-the-box approach to balancing Michigan City’s finances and services.

“As the mayor, I look forward to seeing our revenues increase as a result of offering private lessons with a certified golf pro. And as a golfer, I can’t wait to work with Justin and watch as our municipal course levels up.”

(La Porte, IN) - A Michigan City man was reliving his days as an Indiana high school basketball state champion.  While inside the bus, players from the movie “Hoosiers” rode in on their way to a state title.

The 1939 Chevy school bus was outside the Civic Auditorium on Thursday for opening day of the ESPN televised La Porte Invitational, featuring some of the best players in the nation competing on 11 college prep school teams from around the country.

“The bus is great. It’s good.  It’s good,” said Rob McFarland, who, obviously, seemed to relish the moment.

The red and yellow bus was there for people heading to the games to stop and look at or go inside at no cost  McFarland was the starting center on the Elston High School boys’ basketball team from Michigan City that won the state championship in 1966.

“We rode a bus a little bit bigger than this one,” chuckled McFarland, who sat in one of just 10 seats on the bus.

Except for the difference in bus size, McFarland said there were similarities between his real life season and the one depicted in the movie he’s watched countless times since the film’s debut in 1986.

The storied Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is where his Red Devils won the state title.  Filming of the much smaller Hickory Huskers team winning the state championship in 1952 was on the same court.

“That brought back lots of memories.  Lots of memories,” he said.

Both teams also won their state titles when all of the schools in the tournament competed in a single class system.  McFarland went on to play basketball at the University of Pittsburgh.

He stepped on the bus with friend Bob Hull.  The Long Beach man said he used to watch Hoosiers with his sons every year before the start of the high school boys’ basketball sectionals.

“I love it.  I love it.  It looks just like the one in the movie,” Hull said.

Kalvin Jones of La Porte said it was neat to see the bus from one of his all-time favorite movies.

“It’s pretty cool looking,” he said.

Bruce Stevens, also of La Porte, said the bus made him feel like he was part of history and the film.

“Good Ol’ La Porte has the Hickory bus. I think it’s pretty outstanding,” Stevens said.

The bus is owned by Darryll Baker, who has taken the bus on a regular basis the past four years to events statewide and in Washington D.C.  The downstate Greenfield man even drove a lap in the bus at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to promote a game where the Indiana Pacers wore Hickory Huskers uniforms at one of their home games.

His grandfather, Jack, purchased the vehicle after it was placed out of commission as a school bus in 1949.  He turned the bus into an RV and still had it when approached by the director and writer of the movie who had been looking everywhere for a bus to use in the filming.

Baker, a former U.S. Navy officer, said he acquired the bus in 1996 and had it restored but didn’t use it much until he retired in 2021 and moved back to Indiana.  Ever since, he’s been taking the bus to a lot of parades, festivals and other events.

“It’s just been a lot of fun.  Everywhere I take this people just really react well to it,” Baker said.

The bus is often at the gym where practices and home games in the movie were filmed in Knightstown about 13 miles east of his residence.

Baker said the facility is now a community center run by an organization called Hoosier Gym, which books the gym for use by high school and private league games throughout much of the year.

(La Porte County, IN) - The comeback of the Bald Eagle in Indiana and across the nation also seems evident in La Porte County.

There have been numerous sightings of Bald Eagles in La Porte County in recent years in areas like the Kingsbury Fish & Wildlife area where La Porte resident Mike Kellems was eyeing a Bald Eagle’s nest this morning.

Kellems said the large nest is in a tree across from a creek on the east side of the nature preserve. He was hoping to take pictures of the Bald Eagles but, unfortunately, they were away from the nest and never returned while he was there.

Kellems said he has taken pictures of the Bald Eagles in the past when they were at the nest.

“It’s an impressive site to see,” he said.

Kellems, who’s into photography as a hobby and professionally, said he has taken pictures of other Bald Eagles near Michigan City High School.

He’s also aware of other Bald Eagles’ nests closer to the Town of Kingsbury, in the Pine Lake area near La Porte and in the vicinity of Indiana 39 and Indiana 8 in the far southern part of La Porte County.

“It’s a beautiful and an unbelievably majestic bird," Kellems said.

In 1985, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources began reintroducing Bald Eagles from Alaska and Wisconsin to the state.  By 2020, there were about 350 Bald Eagle nesting territories in Indiana and they were present in 88 of the state’s 92 counties.

Bald Eagles are no longer an endangered species.

In 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated there were over 70,000 breeding pairs in the lower 48 states.  There were only about 400 nesting pairs in 1963, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

(photos courtesy of Mike Kellems)

(La Porte, IN) - High flying acrobats specializing in slam dunks will be featured during the La Porte Invitational college prep school basketball competition.

The "Leaping Legends” will perform Friday during halftime at each of the four scheduled games at the Civic Auditorium.  Trampolines are used by the acrobats to jump high into the air before slamming the basketball into the rim on their way down. 

La Porte Park Department Superintendent Mark Schreiber said the team performs during Indiana Pacers home games and other events throughout the state.  A video of the "Leaping Legends” is posted on the La Porte Civic Auditorium website on Facebook.

The La Porte Invitational tipped off on Thursday when La Lumiere took on Sunrise Christian Academy out of Florida in a game televised on ESPNU.  The tournament continues through Saturday.

Tickets remain available and can be purchased by clicking HERE.

La Porte Invitational Event Schedule:

Thursday, January 9

4:00 PM (CST): Sunrise Christian Academy vs. La Lumiere School

6:00 PM (CST): Brewster Academy vs. Legacy Early College 

7:45 PM (CST): Orangeville Academy vs. Veritas Academy

Friday, January 10

3:00 PM (CST): Sunrise Christian Academy vs. Orangeville Academy

4:45 PM (CST): Legacy Early College vs. Montverde Academy

6:30 PM (CST): Veritas Academy vs. Long Island Lutheran

8:15 PM (CST): CIA Bella Vista vs. La Lumiere School

Saturday, January 11

1:00 PM (CST): Long Island Lutheran vs. Orangeville Academy

2:45 PM (CST): CIA Bella Vista vs. Montverde Academy

4:30 PM (CST): IMG Academy vs. Link Academy

6:15 PM (CST): Brewster Academy vs. La Lumiere School 

(La Porte County, IN) - The list of items prohibited from inside courthouses in La Porte County have been updated.

The La Porte County Board of Commissioners, at the recommendation of courthouse security, approved the following banned items:

• Pen knives
• Carpenters knives
• Metal kitchen knives
• Any and all types of pocket knives
• Switchblades, or any spring activated knives
• Box cutters
• Coupon razor cutters
• Any and all types of razor blades
• Safety razors
• Any pressurized flammable container
• Glass, hair, and body spray
• Pepper spray
• Cigarette lighters
• Alcohol
• Vaping devices
• Cellphones
• Tablets
• Smart watches
• Cameras
• Laptops
• Recording devices
• Key or combination locks
• Guns
• Ammunition
• Fireworks
• Handcuff keys
• Can openers
• Flashlights larger than 6"
• Knitting needles
• Laser pointers
• Letter openers
• Nails
• Screws
• Screwdrivers
• Scissors
• Wire cutters
• Wrenches
• Metal fingernail files
• Pliers

(Plains, GA) - Indiana has a connection with the late president Jimmy Carter that still exists today.  A 13 foot tall statue of a peanut with a huge smile depicting the signature grin of the 39^th president was ordered by the Indiana Democratic Party in 1976.

Carter, a Democrat, was a peanut farmer in addition to being a U.S. Navy veteran and a former Governor of Georgia prior to entering the White House.

The statue, requested during Carter’s successful presidential campaign, stands along a roadside near his hometown of Plains, Georgia.

“There was a nice tie between Indiana Democrats and Jimmy Carter,” said La Porte attorney Shaw Friedman.

Friedman followed politics closely back then as a teenager and later went on to become the La Porte County Democratic Party Chairman.  He said his late father, “Sandy,” was also active in politics during that time period and wouldn’t be surprised if he had contributed financially to the construction of the peanut.  Friedman said his father later visited Carter at the White House. 

The monument is reportedly made with wooden hoops, chicken wire, aluminum foil and polyurethane and sits close to the church where Carter taught Sunday school.

Carter died on December 29 at the age of 100.

(La Porte, IN) - A woman could face potential time in prison for allegedly being caught with an assortment of drugs during a La Porte traffic stop.

Michele Blonien, 60, of La Porte is accused of having 1.1 grams of heroin, 4.5 grams of methamphetamine along with about five grams of marijuana, according to the charging information filed in La Porte Circuit Court.

According to court documents, Blonien was pulled over on January 2nd in the area of Jefferson Avenue and Tyler Street for changing lanes without signaling and running a traffic light.  During a search of the vehicle, police said the heroin was located in the center console while the methamphetamine and a glass smoking pipe were in her purse.

She could face anywhere from a six month to 30 year sentence on each of the two counts related to heroin and methamphetamine.  Blonien was being held in the La Porte County Jail without bond pending her initial appearance in court on the allegations.

According to court records, Blonien has a past criminal history that includes drug and theft related offenses. 

(La Porte County, IN) - There’s new leadership on the La Porte County Council for 2025.  Adam Koronka is council president, replacing Randy Novak, who was president of the council multiple times in previous years.

Brett Kessler is vice president of the council.  They were voted into the positions unanimously by their colleagues Monday night during a reorganization meeting of council.

Koronka is serving his first four year term after elected in November.

He joined the County Council after chosen during a Republican Party caucus in December of 2022 to serve the remaining two years on the term of Connie Gramarossa, who left her seat after elected to the Board of La Porte County Commissioners.

Kessler is a brand new member on the council after gaining the Republican Party nomination in May and winning the November general election.

(Michigan City, IN) - Charges have now been filed after a man was run over by an alleged drunk driver outside a Michigan City hotel.

Jose Garcia, 51, is charged with operating while intoxicated, and causing serious bodily injury with a prior OWI conviction within the past five years - a Level 4 felony along with other lesser OWI counts.

According to court documents, Garcia and the victim, Steven Childress, were engaged in a conflict over a woman Sunday in the parking lot of Ramada Inn. Garcia told investigators he got into his car, but was punched in the face multiple times by Childress as he started backing up to get away.

The investigation shows Childress was standing near the driver’s side window when he was knocked to the ground. The car then ran over both of his legs, police said.

Police said Childress, who was unable to move his legs, was dragged by the woman-in-question, back into his hotel room. He was transported to nearby Franciscan Health hospital.

Garcia, who had been staying at the hotel for a few weeks, is accused of having a blood alcohol level of .097 percent. He could face anywhere from a 2-12 year sentence on the most serious count.

The investigation shows Childress might have been impaired after telling officers he was on some unspecified substance, according to court documents.

(Michigan City, IN) - There’s been a change in leadership on the city council in Michigan City.

During its annual reorganization Tuesday night, Tracie Tillman was chosen as city council president for this year. She thanked her colleagues for their unanimous vote after she was nominated for the position.

“I just want to assure you that I will continue to carry on the responsibilities and the duties as the city council president.  I will be transparent. I will make sure that we carry forth and conduct ourselves in the public in a decent and orderly manner moving forward,” she said.

Tim Bietry was unanimously chosen as city council vice-president, replacing Tillman who held that position last year. The council president last year was Don Przybylinski.

(Indianapolis, IN) - An effort is underway to impose restrictions on billboards in Indiana that advertise legal marijuana dispensaries in other states like Michigan.

In La Porte County, billboards advertising marijuana and the stores legally offering cannabis can be seen all along Interstate 94 and other highways like Indiana 39 and U.S. 12. 

State Representative Jim Pressel of Rolling Prairie talked about the issue recently during Sound-Off on 96.7 The Eagle. He says the question is, should those billboards advertising marijuana be allowed in Indiana, where it is still against the law? Pressel said the billboards are widespread across other parts of northern Indiana as well.

“It is definitely a problem, having those advertisements and they’re a little bit annoying,” he said.

Leading the effort to address the billboards is Indiana State Representative Joanna King of Middlebury. She has presented a bill in the Indiana House of Representatives that could receive consideration while the legislature is in session during the first quarter of this year.

Under the measure, a person may not advertise a product containing marijuana, or a marijuana business, on a sign within 1,000 feet of a school, playground, youth program center, public park, public library and the regular route of a public school bus. The bill calls for fines starting at $5,000, then $10,000 for a second violation, and $15,000 for each additional violation. Civil action could also be taken by the Indiana Attorney General’s Office against violators to recover their expenses, related to enforcement. Those monies would be deposited into the state’s general fund.

The bill has been submitted to the Indiana House Judiciary Committee for further consideration. Pressel also emphasizsed that state lawmakers should carefully examine whether such restrictions on billboards, if legally challenged, would hold up in court under freedom of speech rights protected by the U.S. Constitution.

(La Porte, IN) - A former NBA superstar is expected to attend the La Porte Invitational this week, which features some of the best young basketball players in the nation.

Carmelo Anthony, a former 10-time NBA all-star, is bringing his son, Kiyon, to the annual invitational tournament. Kiyon plays for Long Island Lutheran School, which is one of the college prep teams scheduled to compete in the ESPN-televised competition at the Civic Auditorium.

“Carmelo Anthony just confirmed.  He’ll be back again to watch his son play,” Mayor Tom Dermody announced during last night’s La Porte City Council meeting.  

Anthony was at the event watching his son play last year and signed autographs for children during breaks in the action. Long Island Lutheran is scheduled to play Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Kiyon Anthony has already committed to play next season at the University of Syracuse where his father played in college before drafted by the Denver Nuggets.

The fourth annual La Porte Invitational begins Thursday at 4 p.m. when LaLumiere, a college prep school in northern La Porte County takes on Sunrise Christian Academy. There are 11 games scheduled through Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Some will also be televised on YouTube TV.

College basketball head coaches like Mike Woodson from Indiana University, and John Calipari, now at the University of Arkansas, have attended the La Porte Invitational in the past to scout players. 

(Michigan City, IN) - An arrest has been made in regards to numerous reports of gunshots fired in a Michigan City neighborhood, more than a year ago.

Victor Miller, 24, was charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with two counts of Level 5 felony criminal recklessness. Court documents say officers were called to the area of York and Dupage streets back in July of 2023 for a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, they found 21 spent bullet casings. One of the bullets allegedly struck two parked vehicles.

A vehicle was spotted leaving the scene with a passenger holding a gun out of one of the windows. That report helped trigger the collection of other evidence, culminating in Miller's arrest just over a year later.

The warrant was served on Saturday. During his initial court hearing Tuesday morning, Miller was given a trial date of June 9. He was being held in the La Porte County Jail on $15,000 bond.

(La Porte County, IN) - A Sawyer, MI woman is accused of being drunk in a serious injury collision she allegedly caused on New Year’s Day on Interstate 94 outside of Michigan City. 

Lauren Ellis, 38, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with operating a vehicle while intoxicated as a Level 5 felony. According to ofricials, she was driving a Toyota SUV just after 8 p.m. and rear-ended a trailer pulled by a van. Both vehicles were eastbound outside Michigan City on the interstate.

The driver of the van, Keith Pearson, told an Indiana State Police trooper the impact caused him to lose control of his van, and his trailer also jackknifed. His vehicle came to rest facing in the opposite direction.

Pearson, who’s also from Michigan, was transported to nearby Franciscan Health hospital where he was diagnosed with a broken arm, He was also bleeding from his right ear, police said.  Ellis told police the accident happened after she looked down at the screen of the cell phone she had in her hand.

Ellis was not injured and transported to the La Porte County Jail after a blood alcohol test revealed she was legally impaired. The charge was upgraded from a misdemeanor to a felony because of the serious injury that resulted from the crash. Ellis could face anywhere from a one to six year sentence.

Police say she was also cited for following too closely and holding or using a telecommunications device while operating a motor vehicle.

(Washington D.C.) - A lawsuit has been filed over the president’s decision to stop U.S. Steel from being purchased by a Japanese steel maker. The lawsuit was filed by Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel.

The companies are alleging it was a political decision that violated the companies’ rights to due process. President Joe Biden blocked the proposed transaction, saying it’s in the country’s interest to have most of the steel here, made in America.

However, the lawsuit claims the transaction would enhance, not threaten the United States, because Nippon Steel has the resources needed to strengthen the steel industry here and protect it from foreign competitors like China.

(West Lafayette, IN) - A new leader of Agriculture Studies at Purdue University says they intend to make no major changes in the near future. 

Michael Langemeier has taken over as Director of the Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture at the West Lafayette campus. He replaced Jim Mintert, who officially retired on December 31. Langemeier was formerly the Associate Director of the center formed in 2011 to try and maintain and enhance the longstanding efforts of the university to help commercial scale farmers through its agriculture related research as a federally recognized land grant college.

“I think we got quite a bit of recognition in terms of what we’re currently doing.  So, we’re going to try to continue to do a lot of the same things that we’ve been doing the last several years,” he said.

Mintert, 69, also stepped away from the university in his other capacities as professor and lead investigator for the monthly Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer, which provides updates on how farmers currently feel about future economic conditions in the industry.

He called the 10 years he spent as director of the center “the highlight of my career.”

Mintert was at Purdue University for 15 years after previously serving 23 years of agriculture related duties at Kansas State University, which is also a land grant college.

“Developing and conducting educational programs and applied research designed to address the needs of commercial agricultural producers has been immensely rewarding.  I could not have chosen a better career path,” Mintert said.

Mintert said he and his wife, Susan, plan to continue living in West Lafayette while spending more time with their three granddaughters and traveling to places they have talked about going for a long time.

Langemeier, 63, has been second in command at the center for much of his 12 years at Purdue University. He and Mintert often crossed paths during their work in agriculture at Kansas State University where Langmeier was employed from 1990 to 2012.

“It’s kind of sad to see him retire but he’s had a long career and a very successful career.  I wish him the best,” he said.

Langemeier said one of his priorities in the coming weeks is beginning the task of finding a new associate director of the center, a process he hopes is completed by summer. He’s looking for an individual capable of taking over as director when he retires maybe within the next five years or so.

“This next person we hire is someone who can step in and continue what me and Jim have been doing,” he said.

According to the university, the decision to create the center was made by faculty members along with leading members of the agribusiness and farming communities to primarily serve the educational and research needs of commercial scale farmers striving to generate a majority of their income from production agriculture.

Professor Brent Gloy, the founding director of the center, was soon joined by Langemeier as associate director. In 2014, Mintert replaced Gloy, who decided to return to his family’s farm in Nebraska.

At its inception, priorities for the center included a focus on helping producers improve their managerial skills with an emphasis on managing risk and making better use of data generated by today’s farm businesses. Ever since, the center has developed and offered a wide variety of programs concentrated on various aspects of farm management as well as supported applied research on topics of interest to commercial farmers.

According to university officials, the center today is the nation’s leading provider of farm management education and applied research. Langemeier said more researchers have recently been hired at the center but there are still openings he hopes to fill by training more graduate students to work in those capacities.

“There’s a need for people who know production agriculture to work in applied research.  We’re trying to plug that hole,” he said.

(Michigan City, IN) - An Indiana State Prison inmate has agreed to serve life without parole for killing a correctional officer from La Porte.

Ty’Metri Campbell was about to stand trial Monday on charges of murder, Level 1 felony attempted murder, Level 3 felony aggravated battery and Level 4 felony prisoner in possession of a deadly weapon. The allegations stemmed from the fatal stabbing of Lt. Gene Lasco, 57, and stabbing of another correctional officer, a then 22 year old Padrick Schmitt, who was critically injured but survived the attack on February of 2021.

La Porte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said Campbell decided to plead guilty not long after the process began for selecting a jury.

“We were all ready to go for trial but things kind of changed rather quickly,” he said.

Fagan said he did not did not know why Campbell, who is represented in the case by attorney David Payne of Michigan City, decided to plead guilty. Attempts to reach Payne for insight behind the decision were not successful.

The guilty plea calls for the 42 year old Campbell to receive life without parole for murder along with 30 years for attempted murder. The plea agreement also calls for both sentences to be served consecutively, and consecutive to the 130-year sentence Campbell is already serving for a triple murder in Indianapolis in 2002.

Under the plea agreement, the two remaining charges will be dismissed. La Porte Superior Court 2 Judge Richard Stalbrink, Jr. took the guilty plea under advisement and scheduled sentencing for January 31 if he accepts the terms.

According to court documents, Campbell, somehow, while taking a shower, freed one of his hands from the handcuffs he had on and pushed his way past a correctional officer about to return him to his cell. The officer began pursuing Campbell, who was making his way down a stairwell when he encountered and repeatedly stabbed Schmitt, authorities said. He then stabbed Lasco multiple times after reaching the bottom of the stairwell and walked away according to court documents.

The female officer pursuing Campbell stopped to try and slow the bleeding from a neck wound on Lasco when the offender returned with the weapons used in the stabbings in both of his hands, court documents revealed. The officer ran from Campbell, who was right behind her when she fled to safety inside an employee bathroom and quickly locked the door.

According to court documents, Campbell was still holding a knife when he dropped the blade after being hit with pepper spray by another correctional officer, who tackled him to the floor. Another correctional officer then assisted in gaining control of him. One of the correctional officers involved said Campbell, who was yelling, screaming and acting strange, may have been under the influence of something.

Campbell later told investigators “I was on drugs and in fear for my life,” according to court documents. Court records also disclosed that Campbell claimed to have blacked out, felt possessed by a “different entity” and had paranoid thoughts the past several days of people being out to kill him.

Schmitt was admitted to the hospital in critical but stable condition with two stab wounds each to his chest and shoulder along with single stab wounds to his arm, neck and head. According to court documents, Lasco bled to death from his stab wounds.

Fagan said the death penalty was not sought because of the complexities involved in pursuing such a sentence and potential for it to be overturned on appeal due to numerous factors in the case.

“The whole case has been very difficult.  I’m glad we were able to bring some resolution,” he said.

(Porter County, IN) - A Door Dash driver is accused of being intoxicated while on the job.

According to Porter County Police, the 50-year-old driver was approached by an officer Saturday night along U.S. 20. She was in the parking lot of a business waiting for a food order to deliver at the time. The officer began talking to the woman and noticed a strong odor of alcohol on her breath. She was taken into custody, and booked for an OWI.

Tonya Hill-Rios of Portage denied consuming any alcohol, but she was found to be impaired, police said.

It's unclear if her Door Dash order was retrieved by another driver or not.

(Fish Lake, IN) - A La Porte County man was found dead in a house fire Sunday morning.

About 7 a.m., emergency responders went to 214 Longshore Drive in Fish Lake. La Porte County Police said heavy smoke prevented entry into the home, but after the fire was knocked down, 64 year old Ronald Conrad was located deceased inside the residence.

The cause of the fire was under investigation, police said.

Volunteer firefighters from Lincoln Township, Pleasant Township and Kankakee Township responded to the blaze.  La Porte County Emergency Medical Service along with the La Porte County Coroner’s Office were also at the scene.

(New Carlisle, IN) - A special committee at New Prairie United School Corporation has made its initial recommendations regarding school safety.

In September, a possible school threat online necessitated a thorough search of the middle school. A subsequent survey of New Prairie parents and staff indicated an interest in taking a closer look at school safety. A committee comprising of about 20 teachers, administrators, parents, and law enforcement, was convened specifically to investigate the possibility of installing weapons detection technology in its school buildings. Prior to gathering in November and December, committee members broke into groups to analyze logistics, impacts on the school environment, and other possible solutions.

Ultimately the committee decided not to recommend metal detectors as a regular feature of school life at New Prairie, citing factors such as cost and reliability. The committee outlined their process in a statement to the local community.

“This recommendation was not arrived at lightly, but with considerable thought and time spent in a process of study and discussion,” they said. “Multiple committee members that were originally in favor of the approach changed their views after studying logistics challenges that would be involved.”

The committee listed a number of alternate safety upgrades that they think deserve further consideration. Such measures include additional radios for staff members, enhancing interior door locking systems and cameras, and perhaps a single weapon detection system for isolated threats or large community events.

A public meeting to discuss all possibilities is scheduled for Tuesday, January 14. It will take place in the High School Auditorium at 6 pm Central.

(Valparaiso, IN) - Porter County Police have made an arrest involving dispensary marijuana sold outside New Buffalo.

Rebecca Micco, 42, of Valparaiso is charged with driving on a suspended license and possession of marijuana. According to Porter County Police, she was pulled over Thursday night for speeding, tailgating and other hazardous driving practices on U.S. 30 especially given the snowy, slick road conditions.

During the traffic stop, police said a small amount of marijuana along with 36 grams of THC gummies were located in a backpack inside her vehicle. The products were in commercial packaging that contained the name of a dispensary outside New Buffalo.

According to police, the woman’s license was suspended for failure to pay past speeding tickets. She could face up to six months in jail and a maximum $1,000 fine on the Class B misdemeanor possession of marijuana charge. The Class A misdemeanor driving on a suspended license charge could bring a maximum one year jail sentence and an up to $5,000 fine.

Police are reminding dispensary customers possession of marijuana legally sold in Michigan remains against the law in Indiana.

(Michigan City, IN) - A trial is scheduled to begin Monday for an Indiana State Prison inmate accused of killing a correctional officer from La Porte.

Ty’metri Campbell is charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery and prisoner possessing a dangerous device or materials. He allegedly delivered multiple stab wounds to Lt. Gene Lasco in February of 2021. Lasco, 57, died a short time later.

According to court documents, Campbell somehow freed a hand from one of the handcuffs he was wearing after taking a shower.

Campbell was running down a stairwell when he repeatedly stabbed a correctional officer he encountered then after reaching the main level of the prison encountered Lasco and stabbed him multiple times, according to court documents. 

Campbell was moving toward two other correctional officers with a knife in his hand when hit with pepper spray. He allegedly dropped the knife and was tackled to the prison floor, authorities said. According to court documents, Campbell explained his alleged actions by claiming he “felt possessed by a different entity” and believed people were out to harm or kill him.

At the time of the stabbings, Campbell was serving a 130 year prison sentence for a triple murder that occurred in Indianapolis in 2002.  The defense is expected to argue Campbell was insane at the time of the stabbings.

The trial will begin with jury selection before opening arguments are given in La Porte Superior Court 2 in Michigan City before Judge Richard Stalbrink, Jr. 

(La Porte County, IN) - A semi-trailer hauling about three dozen large Angus cows caught fire early Friday on Interstate 94 near Michigan City. All but two of the 35 cows survived.

According to Indiana State Police, emergency responders were called about 2:30 a.m. to the 41 mile marker on a report of a cattle hauling trailer on fire beside the eastbound lanes. ISP Sgt. Glen Fifield of the Lowell Post said the brakes on the rear tires of the eastbound trailer apparently locked up and generated enough heat to catch the back tires on fire.

Upon arrival, Springfield Township Fire Chief Steve Marvel said there were flames reaching about three to four feet high along with heavy black smoke pouring mostly from the burning tires. He said the flames were hot enough to burn a hole in the floor on the back end of the trailer where some of the cows were standing.

Fifield said one of the cows was injured badly enough after falling through the hole to have to be euthanized by a veterinarian called to the scene. The other cow was put down as a result of injuries suffered from being kicked in the head by another cow. Marvel said the restless cows were moving as close as they could toward the front of the trailer to get away from the fire.

“There was really not a lot of noise coming from them except from trying to move to stay away from the smoke and the heat,” he said.

Fortunately, Marvel said there was a decent breeze carrying the black smoke away from the cows or more could have perished.

“When you have tires on fire it definitely puts off a lot of toxic smoke,” he said.

The trailer had three different compartments, holding about a dozen cows each. The cows were not immediately released from the trailer because it took only about three minutes to put out the flames and to avoid the potential for greater tragedy from being along the six lane interstate.

“If those cows would have got out, we would have had a lot bigger mess,” he said.

Fifield said the cows were loaded onto another trailer later to resume their trip. No information was available on where the cows came from or their destination.

Fifield said it’s not uncommon for trailer fires to occur from the brakes on the rear tires locking up. Fortunately, in this case, the flames did not spread further given the live cargo.

“They thought it was going to be worse than what it was,” he said.

(La Porte, IN) - A high ranking law enforcement officer who grew up in La Porte is calling it a career.

Doug Carter, who has been superintendent of Indiana State Police for 12 years, was recognized yesterday afternoon at Bethany Lutheran Church in La Porte. Carter began his law enforcement career with Indiana State Police and was sheriff in  Hamilton County when appointed ISP superintendent by then Governor Mike Pence.

He called his decision to retire “bittersweet” due to his love for law enforcement and the people whose job is to serve and protect.

“It’s been 40 years total and it’s time to pass it on to someone else,” he said.

Carter, a 1980 graduate of La Porte High School, has been ISP superintendent longer than anyone else in the history of the state, authorities said. He said his proudest moments have nothing to do with upgrades in technology and equipment. Instead, Carter said it’s the work on the streets of police officers that gave him the most pleasure during his leadership role.

“What I’m most proud of is what our people accomplish every single day that most people never see.  Bad things are happening all of the time.  I love the people and I love what they do,” he said.

Cassie Lipscomb, a resident of Kingsford Heights, and secretary at the Indiana State Police Toll Road District in Elkhart, said Carter is very personable and shows that he cares about everyone working for the agency. She’s happy for Carter as he approaches retirement but wishes he wasn’t leaving.

“He’ll sit with you and laugh with you.  He’ll cry with you and hears you out.  He’s the best.  I’m really sad that he’s leaving,” she said.

Carter said his father, a former longtime Indiana State Police Officer, was his inspiration for entering law enforcement. 

"That's kind of how I got the bug.  I'm glad I chose my dad's path. It's been a great ride," he said.  

His last day on the job is January 13. 

(Washington D.C.) - President Joe Biden has rejected the proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel by a Japanese owned steelmaker.

In a statement this morning, Biden said it’s in the country’s interest that a major share of U.S. steelmaking is done by American owned companies.

Federal law gives the president the authority to block such transactions.

Nippon Steel of Japan had offered $15 billion to acquired Pittsburgh based U.S. Steel, which has a major steelmaking plant in Gary.

Biden vowed in March to block the proposed acquisition.

President-elect Donald Trump also promised in December on his Truth Social platform to block the deal and to use tax incentives and tariffs to grow the company. 

(La Porte County, IN) - A customer of a marijuana dispensary outside New Buffalo, MI, was arrested in La Porte County for possession when they were allegedly found with cannabis, which is still illegal in Indiana.

Oscar Munoz, 28, of Lake Villa, Illinois was pulled over Monday afternoon by a La Porte County Sheriff’s Deputy. He was allegedly not wearing a seat belt.

During a traffic stop, police said Munoz told the officer he didn’t have his seat belt on because he had just pulled out of a gas station at Indiana 39, and U.S. 20 in Springfield Township.

Police said his vehicle was searched after the officer detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. More than 100 grams of marijuana and three marijuana cigars from one of the dispensaries outside New Buffalo were seized.

Munoz was charged in La Porte Superior Court 4 with possession of marijuana as a Class B misdemeanor. He could face up to 180 days in jail and a maximum $1,000 fine.

(La Porte County, IN) - The La Porte County Commissioners meetings will no longer be available on ZOOM.

The decision was made this morning during the commissioners’ first meeting of the year. Newly elected Commissioner Steve Holifield, who made the motion, said most counties in Indiana no longer offer ZOOM for people to take part and watch meetings. Commission President Connie Gramarossa said ZOOM meetings did not exist until the COVID-19 pandemic when they served more of a purpose to help slow the spread of the virus by keeping physical attendance at meetings limited.

“It is currently costing us $7,000 a year to have, plus, all of the overtime or comp time that we’re having to give to run these meetings,” she said.

The information technology department of county government has been present during commissioners meetings to switch on and oversee Zoom meetings.

Opposing the decision was Commissioner Joe Haney, who felt ZOOM meetings are a good way for department heads and citizens to conveniently take part in commissioners meetings. He said a department, for example, can avoid a potential long drive and remain at home with family by taking part in evening meetings on Zoom. He added, citizens with challenges driving can take part in meetings on ZOOM or watch them from home.

“These are folks not easily able to travel,” he said.

The decision comes several weeks after a hacker was able to show pornography for several minutes during a county council meeting on ZOOM.

(La Porte County, IN) - A fire early Thursday morning has left a young La Porte family without a home.

Just after 7 a.m., firefighters from multiple agencies were called to the single family residence at 9796 S. County Road 225 West near Union Mills.

“Definitely not a good way to start the New Year,” said Jeremy Russell.

Russell said they were all at home when he woke up to the smell of smoke. He discovered the fire inside the attached garage and got his girlfriend, another adult, and their two young children out of the home. 

Noble Township Fire Chief Scott Klemz said the flames spread into the ceiling of the attached garage, then advanced into the attic of the home, and down into the kithen and one of the bedrooms. He said the rest of the home was mostly heavily damaged from water and smoke. The only thing left from the garage was primarily ashes that firefighters had to scoop with shovels.

“The house is probably a total loss, too,” Klemz said.

A car parked in front of the attached garage was also destroyed after ignited by the extreme heat radiating from the blaze. Klemz said the cause was still under investigation, but early indications point to a space heater in the garagem which was not on at the time, but was still plugged in.

After the fire was extinguished, family members were allowed to go inside and start retrieving whatever belongings they could find that weren’t damaged by the fire.

“It’s all gone.  All of the bedrooms.  All of it,” Russell said.

Russell said he wasn’t immediately sure where his family would stay until getting back on their feet.

“I don’t know to be honest with you,” he said.

(La Porte, IN) - Police say a driver who collided with a parked car outside a home in La Porte on New Year’s Eve was seriously impaired by alcohol.

Matthew Swedenberg, 35, of Michigan City is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with operating while intoxicated. Swedenberg allegedly struck the vehicle about 6:30 p.m. in the 1900 block of Indiana Ave.  Swedenberg, who was not injured, had an alleged blood alcohol level of .358 percent, well above the .08 percent legal limit.

The charge was upgraded to a Level 6 felony because of Swedenberg having a prior OWI conviction in 2022, police said.

(La Porte County, IN) - Connie Gramarossa will remain president of the La Porte County Commissioners.

Gramarossa was nominated by newly elected commissioner Steve Holifield during the reorganization portion of the commissioners’ meeting Thursday morning. Commissioner Joe Haney nominated Holifield as president. Gramarossa supported the nomination of Holifield, which resulted in a 2 to 1 vote in her favor as president of the three member governing body for 2025.

Holifield was appointed vice-president of the commission after nominated by Gramarossa. He and Gramarossa supported the nomination. Haney nominated himself as vice-president of the commission but was outvoted 2 to 1.