(La Porte County, IN) - A La Porte County Commissioner insulted another elected official over his young age during a brief flare up involving a no-bid contract.

It happened during the Monday night meeting of the La Porte County Council during a review on a request to pay for work outside a La Porte County government office building at 555 Michigan Ave. in downtown La Porte.

The La Porte County Commissioners earlier this month approved the hiring of a contractor to make the repairs without seeking bids to save time on stopping the sewage that was flowing into the structure.

Councilman Justin Kiel said he appreciated the emergency response but felt the commissioners were still obligated by law to place the work out for bids.

Commissioner Steve Holifield stood up from his chair in the audience and defended the decision.

Holifield, a farmer in his upper 50’s, also threw a verbal jab at Kiel, who hasn’t turned 30 yet.

“Why don't you come and shovel the g**damn sewage out of the building the next time we have an issue like this, boy.  How does that sound to you,” he said.

In response, Kiel questioned Holifield’s behavior.

“That seems not very professional,” he said.

All of the council members, except for Kiel, approved the funding for the work.  Holifield estimated the cost of repairs at roughly $50,000.

(La Porte, IN) - The inaugural Earth Day 5K raised over $6,000 for the La Porte City Park Foundation to use for helping to provide quality parks.

"Every step out there today happened because of a park," said Emily Archambault, Foundation Liaison.

Over 180 people of all ages took part in the Saturday event that started and ended at Fox Park.

Talon Samford, 14, took first place by completing the course in just over 19 minutes while two hours later David Ralston, an 80 year old Marine veteran, crossed the finish line to the roar of the crowd in his walk of the route.

For more information about the La Porte City Park Foundation and how to support the nonprofit organization go to lpparkfoundation.org.

(La Porte County, IN) - The La Porte County Council has approved $255,000 to cover the cost of offenders on work release not paying for their satellite tracking devices as required.

The decision Monday night resulted in Council President Adam Koronka promising to approach the judges about enforcing the requirement made part of the conditions of an offender’s sentencing.

Originally, $70,000 was placed in this year’s budget to cover the cost of some offenders not paying the tab of the ankle bracelets they’re obligated to wear for authorities to keep track of their whereabouts via satellite.

So far, the bills under a lease with an ankle bracelet service provider has already exceeded $84,000, said La Porte County Community Corrections Director Mericka Beatty.

Councilman Mark Yagelski said judges not ordering dead beat offenders to pay for their ankle bracelets has been an ongoing problem.

“We’ve asked for this before but they don’t make them pay.  It makes no sense,” he said.

Beatty said she could not say what percentage of offenders are delinquent in their financial obligations because the number fluctuates depending on whose serving their sentences on work release or home detention.

“You can get a good group of individuals that come in for six months and they pay and then you can get a group of individuals who will not look for employment or cannot find employment,” she said.

Work release allows offenders to obtain employment to support themselves and their families. In exchange, they must return to incarceration until reporting back for work and pay the cost of their satellite tracking devices.

Only judges by acting on threats to place offenders back to jail full-time can try and force payment.

“We cannot prohibit people from coming into community corrections based upon their financial situation,” Beatty said.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Police are hoping to find a work van that contained an estimated $10,000 in tools when stolen.

This happened in the area of 300 North and 50 West.

According to police, the theft of the 2017 Ram ProMaster happened sometime between Saturday evening and when the owner realized it was missing from his driveway about 6 p.m. on Monday.

Police said the owner told investigators the red van had just received a new engine days prior to being stolen.  It appears whoever stole the van drove it through the yard judging by tire tracks in the grass.

The tools in the van included saws and hand tools that were used to install flooring.

Police said there was a burglary at a nearby residence at about the time the van was taken.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County residents can test the water from their private wells tested at no cost during an upcoming short period of time.

The service during the week of May 5 will be offered by the La Porte County Health Department.

To participate, La Porte County residents only can pick up a testing kit at either at either the La Porte or Michigan City offices of the health department from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. through May 9 while supplies last.

Proof of residency must also be shown.

Each screening kit contains one coliform bacteria test and one nitrate test, officials said.

The free testing kits are offered during the same period of time as National Drinking Water Week.  

(La Porte County, IN) - Tax abatement has been awarded on a $70 million plant being constructed to convert food waste into natural gas at Kingsbury Industrial Park.

The LaPorte County Council granted the 10 year tax abatement Monday night to Nexus W2V, a leading waste processing solutions firm based in Greenville, South Carolina.

Matt Reardon with the LaPorte County Office of Economic Development said the tax abatement is strictly on the estimated $51 million in new equipment to be installed at the facility.

He said the projected the tax savings for the company will be about $2 million during the lifespan of the abatement.

Reardon said county government, though, will still collect a projected $644,000 in property taxes during the same time period on undeveloped land currently producing just $448 in property taxes.

In exchange for the tax breaks, the company agreed to make two separate payments totaling more than $120,000 to county government.

The plant will be able to process up to 200 tons of organic material like expired food and ingredients from major food processing plants from places like the Chicago area for use in converting it into natural gas.

According to company officials, the facility will produce enough natural gas to operate more than 47,000 homes while reducing the amount of food waste going into landfills.

Another source of food waste will include supermarket chains in the region with expired goods like cake mixes and cereal no longer available for sale.

Some of the projected 35 workers at the plant will remove food from packaged items for placement into a digester where all of the organic material will be mixed with water or some other liquid then heated.

The methane created from decomposition of the slurry will be captured and injected into existing NIPSCO natural gas pipelines for use by consumers.

A ground breaking ceremony was recently held at the 28 acre site where the facility is expected to start operating late next year. A similar investment is planned on an expansion at some point after the facility begins running.

(Porter County, IN) - The body of a missing fisherman has been recovered from Lake Michigan.

According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, 67 year old Michael Barnes of Valparaiso was fishing from shore but the boat he brought had drifted from the shoreline.

He went into the water to try and retrieve it but went below the water’s surface about 60 yards from the shoreline near Burns Ditch, DNR said.

This happened about 11:30 a.m. on Monday. The recovery of his body was made about 90 minutes later during a search involving multiple agencies.

(La Porte, IN) - A garage was significantly damaged but firefighters managed to save the vehicle parked inside the structure in La Porte yesterday.

Firefighters just before 4 p.m. were called to the 300 block of Oberriech St.

Fire Chief Andy Snyder said the fire was under control within about “5 to 6 minutes."

Despite heavy damage to the garage, Snyder said firefighters were able to protect the vehicle and prevent it from suffering any damage.

A deck on the house next to the detached garage suffered just minimal damage.

The investigation revealed the fire somehow began outside the garage and worked its way into the building.

Total damage was estimated at about $20,000.

(La Porte County, IN) - A former high school and collegiate basketball standout is the new boys’ varsity basketball coach at New Prairie High School.

Drew Lutz starred at Penn High School where he graduated in 2019 and went on to become a two time NAIA All-American at Bethel College in Mishawaka after transferring from Incarnate Word University in San Antonio, Texas.

Superintendent Dr. Paul White said Lutz on every team he played for was a “coach on the floor.”

“His strategic understanding of the game is very advanced and beyond what is typical for a newer coach,” he said.

Lutz was previously an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team at New College of Florida, another NAIA school.

He said becoming a head basketball coach has been a dream and even more so in his home state of Indiana.

“I am grateful for the opportunity,” he said.

His hiring was unanimously approved last night by the New Prairie School Board.

(Indianapolis, IN) - The American Heart Association is applauding the recent decision to raise the tobacco tax in Indiana.

A $2 tax increase for a pack of cigarettes and same percentage hike on all other tobacco products will take effect July 1.

“This decisive action by the Indiana General Assembly demonstrates a commitment to safeguarding public health and creating a healthier future for all Indiana residents,” said Christina Cesnik, Indiana government relations director for the American Heart Association.

According to the Tobacco Free Indiana coalition, the higher tax is projected to prevent 7,000 Hoosier youth from becoming smokers and entice 32,000 Hoosiers to quit smoking, resulting in long-term health care cost savings of $492.78 million.

Additionally, the tax is expected to increase state revenue annually by over $318 million, a win for both public health and economic stability, AHA said.

Cesnik also gave thanks to state lawmaker for resisting efforts to not increase the current tobacco tax.

“Your resolve sends a powerful message that public health, smokefree workplaces, and clean air takes precedence,” she said.

(Lowell, IN) - Hundreds of drunk driving arrests were made last year by Indiana State Police from the Lowell post.

The total was 679.

Police said it’s a disappointed figure considering the emphasis placed nowadays on not drinking and driving.

Trooper Kaylie Galvan led the way at the Lowell Post with more than 100 drunk driving arrests. She was recently named the state’s top trooper.

(LA PORTE, IN) - The La Porte High School Jazz Bands present their 34th Annual Jazz Fest on Friday.

It's scheduled at 7:00 PM in the LPHS Performing Arts Center.

The concert will feature talented student performers along with renowned artists Sharel Cassity, Eric Jacobson, Lara Driscoll, Kirby Fellis, Clark Sommers, and Dana Hall, school officials said. 

Adult tickets are $10 while students are admitted free of charge.

(La Porte County, IN) - A backyard shed was destroyed by fire just outside La Porte yesterday afternoon.

Emergency responders about 5 p.m. were called to the 13 hundred block of E. Coachlight Drive.

The property owner told La Porte County Police his family finished cutting his grass then put a new battery on his zero turn riding mower and put it back up in the backyard shed.

A short time later, police said smoke was coming from the structure along with the sound of a crackling fire inside the structure. Flames were soon visible from the roof and both sides of the shed.

The shed and mower were a total loss.

Police said it appears the lawn mower is where the fire started. 

(Indianapolis, IN) - The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame recently honored two LaPorte County residents.

Megan Boguslawski of LaPorte was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame at its annual awards dinner on Saturday in Indianapolis.

Boguslawski, who graduated from Michigan City Elston High School, scored over 1,000 points, grabbed nearly 1,000 rebounds and won three sectional titles during her playing career there.

She went on to play at Western Michigan University where she set the school record for career field goal percentage, .596. She was also named first-team all-Mid-American Conference in 1996.

Boguslawski is the first woman from LaPorte County inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Matt Werner of Union Mills was awarded the President’s Distinguished Service Award for his work on the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame’s new display dedicated to the history of girls’ basketball.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County police are on the lookout for a sex offender who is violation of registration requirements.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, 28-year-old Tramaine A. Allison is non-compliant in registering his whereabouts.

Allison was arrested in 2018 for Child Molesting, then in 2023 pled guilty to not registering as a Sexual Violent Predator. He is now facing yet another registry violation.

For public safety, authorities would like to know what Allison is up to. He was last known to be in the Michigan City area. If you know where he’s at, kindly contact the Sheriff’s Office at (219) 608-9572.

(St. Joseph County) - The Indiana Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to watch out for construction equipment following a crash in St. Joseph County earlier this week.

A truck pulling a trailer slammed into an attenuator in a work zone on the U.S. 20 bypass near Mayflower Rd. in South Bend. Road crew were safe, thanks to the attenuator, but the truck driver was taken to the hospital.

Ironically, this week happened to be National Work Zone Awareness Week.

INDOT spokesperson Cassie Bajek said last year there were over 7,000 crashes in work zones across the state, resulting in over 1,500 injuries and 30 fatalities.

Indiana State Police Sergeant Ted Bohner said patrol officers are watching drivers closely. Recently they stopped someone who was doing 90 in a 45 mph work zone. That driver was arrested for reckless driving.

This year, INDOT will be investing $3.3 billion in over 1,200 roadway projects statewide.

(Westville, IN) - The life of old water tower in Westville has been extended but remains on borrowed time.

A contractor was hired in September of 2021 to bring it down.

However, Town Council President Mike Albert said the contractor never got around to it because of possible logistics problems.

He said the Indiana Department of Correction has made taking down the tower part of the new prison construction project.  Once the new water tower serving just the prison goes up, Albert said the equipment already there for that task will travel the short distance to the old tower and bring it down.

Albert said the town will pay the cost but at a savings since machinery doesn’t have to come from a longer distance.

“It’s more cost effective,” he said.

He said the old tower built in 1928 should be taken down, perhaps, as soon as the summer of next year or early in 2027.

Some people are sentimental about the tower and consider it to be a landmark, but it needs a repainting at a cost estimated a few years ago at over $200,000.

Albert said he grew up in Westville and also has sentiments about the tower, but feels over $200,000 is a lot of money for something no longer serving a useful purpose.

The town is now served by a much larger tank installed when the water treatment facility was built over 20 years ago.

(La Porte, IN) - A convicted drug dealer is charged with selling cocaine in La Porte.

Levorn Miller, 47 is accused of selling just over one gram of cocaine in January of 2024, according to the charging information obtained from La Porte Circuit Court.

Police said the 140 dollar exchange happened after Miller walked from his home at Maple Tree Apartments at Andrew Ave. and W. 18^th St. to a parked car near a dumpster.

He could face anywhere from a three to 16 year sentence under the Level 3 felony charge.

According to court records, Miler has past drug related convictions. He’s being held in the La Porte County Jail on $25,000 bond.

(Tippecanoe County, IN) - The Purdue University Boilermaker train traveling on roads with tires was involved in a fatal crash with a car.

The collision happened yesterday afternoon about 10 miles from the West Lafayette campus.

Police believe the Boilermaker Special blew a tire, causing it to veer into oncoming traffic and strike a southbound car. One person in the car died while two students on board the train suffered minor injuries.

The Boilermaker special has been to La Porte before in the Fourth of July parade.

(Indianapolis, IN) - A local state lawmaker voted against the new state budget heading to the governor for his possible signature.

State Representative Pat Boy (D-Michigan City) said the budget approved by a majority in the republican dominated state legislature contains insufficient funding for K-12 education and higher education.

“I cannot fathom the irreparable damage this year’s budget will have on our education systems,” she said.

Boy said the budget not only doesn’t make up for the money our public schools are losing because of property tax cuts but also cuts the funding for public universities.

“Our universities attract thousands of bright students every year and teach them vital skills they can contribute to our state. Instead of fostering these educational environments to provide our young people with opportunities to prosper, the majority has decided to slash their funding,” she said. . 

Boy also said the projected $800 million to be generated by a $2 increase in the state tax on a pack of cigarettes should have been earmarked for education to make up for the revenue losses for the schools.

“Instead of ensuring that this funding goes towards making up for the cut funding in our education systems, much of this funding is going to a general fund with no guarantee on how it will be used.” she said.

(La Porte County, IN) - Giving in to a sweet tooth sounds innocent enough but, in this case, it could mean time in prison.

Kayla Roche, 35, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 6 felony theft.

According to court documents, the woman at the Family Express in Kingsbury in late February paid for a bag of ice and a fountain drink but walked out the doors with a pint of ice cream and a pack of Oreo cookies in her coat pocket.

Store surveillance video captured her looking back to make sure the store clerk wasn’t watching before reaching into the freezer for the ice cream and placing it into her pocket, court documents revealed.

Police said the video also showed her lingering around the store before grabbing the Oreos and placing them into her pocket.

The store clerk was suspicious enough about the woman’s behavior inside the store to review the surveillance footage, police said.

According to police, Roche was identified from her name being on the receipt because of her “beverage subscription” at the store that she used to pay for her fountain drink.

The charge was elevated to a felony because of prior theft related convictions out of St. Joseph County.

(La Porte, IN) - The City of La Porte has now lost just over $1 million in federal grant money after the dollars were approved then later taken back during a time of ongoing cost cutting in the nation’s capital.

The latest grant withdrawn was for $400,000, said La Porte Assistant Police Chief Jim Ferguson during a presentation at the city’s Board of Public Works & Safety meeting on Tuesday.

Ferguson said the grant was for things like updating and purchasing new technology such as lap top and desk top computers at the police department.

He said the cancellation of the grant comes at a time when some of the lap top and desk top computers at the department are failing.

“We were going to use that to upgrade those or just get new ones.  It’s crippling that, that was pulled,” he said.

“We’re disappointed in that,” said Mayor Tom Dermody.

The other federal dollars cancelled recently involved a $1 million grant awarded to the city last year to remove as many as 900 old and unhealthy trees from tree lawns over the next several years.

About $750,000 was left from the grant after a portion of the money funded some of the work in 2024.

Last week, Dermody said he hoped the use of the word “diversity” in the city’s grant application wasn’t a factor in the decision to cancel the tree grant.

The word was chosen to outline the intent of the funds was to create a diverse urban forest since new trees of different species were going to replace the mostly maples being removed.

He said the word “climate” was used in the city’s grant application for the police department grant.

Currently, Dermody said the city is working with Congressman Rudy Yakym’s office and others to try and recover the lost tree grant monies.

He said the city’s only option for recovering the police department grant, though, was is to reapply for those dollars next year.

(La Porte, IN) - Seriously hurting a woman while driving drunk has not stopped the man who caused that collision in La Porte from taking the wheel again while impaired.

Jose Pedraza-Ayala, 52, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 6 felony operating a vehicle while intoxicated and operating a vehicle without ever obtaining a license, a Class C misdemeanor.

According to court documents, he was pulled over on April 16 for completely disregarding a stop sign at Andrew Ave. and 16^th St. on La Porte’s southwest side.

Police said the smell of alcohol on his breath was detected by the officer but he denied having anything to drink.  Pedraza-Ayala was taken into custody after refusing to take a certified blood alcohol test.

He did take a portable breathalyzer test, which registered a .222 percent blood alcohol level, police said. 

Court records show Pedraza-Ayala in 2019 was given an 18 month sentence with the Indiana Department of Correction for Level 6 felony operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious injury.

In that case, Pedraza-Ayala had a blood alcohol level of more than four times the legal limit when he ran a stop sign and broadsided a car at 18^th and I streets in La Porte.

The woman in the car suffered a broken pelvis, bruised or lacerated liver and broken sternum, according to court documents.

Court records reveal Pedraza-Ayala has one other OWI conviction.

(Michigan City, IN) - Residents will have a chance to safely discard of their unneeded prescription medication.

On Saturday, the Michigan City Police Department will be among the nearly 5,000 drop off locations nationwide during the annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day sponsored by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to police, the purpose of the event is to remove old, unwanted or expired medications from homes so they don’t become a gateway for addiction.

More than 19 million pounds of medication has been collected since the start of the event more than a decade ago, police said.

Medications can be disposed of anonymously and at no cost in the main lobby of the Michigan City Police Department from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted.

Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain tightly sealed in their original container to prevent leakage, police said. 

For more information and to find a collection site near you, visit www.DEATakeBack.com.

(La Porte County, IN) - A high speed pursuit early Wednesday that started in Michigan City went through residential areas in New Buffalo before ending on Interstate 94 from the fleeing vehicle becoming disabled.

Those are among the new details obtained from La Porte County Police, who were later joined in the chase by an officer with the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office in Michigan.

Police said Hassan Malley, 36, of Beverly Shores was stopped at Indiana 212 and Tryon Road about 1 a.m. for not having a working light to illuminate the license plate on his vehicle.

After a warrant to turned up for his arrest in Wisconsin, Malley allegedly fled and exceeded 100 miles per hour on U.S. 12 heading into New Buffalo where he nearly struck a number of parked vehicles before heading back into Michigan City, police said.

Police said officers from other departments such as Michigan City and Long Beach were now involved in the pursuit when Malley swerved an officer near Blue Chip Casino.

Malley allegedly traveled through several residential neighborhoods at up to 80 miles per hour before stop sticks flattened one of his front tires on Michigan Boulevard.

He continued on, though, nearly hitting several more parked vehicles before veering onto Interstate 94 after his flat tire fell off the rim, police said.

Police said the pursuit ended about a mile or two later when the fleeing vehicle became disabled.

Currently, investigators are waiting for the results of a blood alcohol test given to Malley after the smell of alcohol was detected on his breath and a half empty bottle of vodka was found in the car.

According to police, the out of state warrant was for failing to appear in court in an auto theft case.   His prior criminal history also includes armed robbery.

(La Porte, IN) - A Math Bowl team at a La Porte school has made school history by securing 7th place out of 108 teams in the highest division of the Indiana Association of School Principals 2025 Math Bowl Competition.

This achievement by the team at Kesling Intermediate School marks the first time in 25 years that school has placed in the Top 10 in such a prestigious contest, according to school officials.

Under the guidance of Coach Aileen Serafin, the team recently secured a victory at the area contest in Walkerton.

Officials said the "Matheletes" missed only four questions out of 32 for a score of 28 points in the Blue Class Division, the highest score among all participating schools at the area contest.

"This is an outstanding achievement that showcases our students' dedication.  I couldn’t be prouder of how our team performed," said Serafin.

The team was led by four aptains: Levi Curtis (Team 1), Elijah Bohle (Team 2), Parker Machowiak (Team 3), and Lila Gardner (Team 4).

Other team members included Mary Grenough, Avery Minnick, Daniella Price, Jack Buckley, Miles Halfacre, Liam DeGarmo, Aleena Ramirez, and Paxton Sommer.

Officials said the team being a Top 10 state qualifier represents not only their mathematical skill but also their commitment to teamwork.

(Michigan City, IN) - Charges have been filed in connection with a bullet grazing the head of a Michigan City boy during what could have been acts of horseplay with guns.

A 15 year old boy is charged with criminal recklessness, a Level 5 felony, pointing a firearm, a Level 6 felony, unlawful carrying of a firearm along with dangerous possession of a firearm by a juvenile, both Class A misdemeanors, according to Michigan City Police.

The 17 year old victim, who was not seriously injured, is charged with unlawful carrying of a firearm along with dangerous possession of a firearm by a juvenile.

Police said they and one other 17 year old boy were in possession of two guns early Monday afternoon at a home in the 300 block of Edward St.

While handling the weapons, police said one of the guns in possession of the youngest boy discharged a round that grazed the head of one of the 17 year old boys.

The victim was transported to the hospital for treatment and later released.

“Fortunately, the gunshot did not result in a catastrophic injury or worse,” said Lt. Steve Westphal.

Police said the boys claimed to have found the firearms earlier in the day and one of the guns was reported stolen less than three months ago.

(La Porte, IN) - Vegetables will start being grown in some of the brick planters in downtown La Porte through a partnership between the city and PAX Center.

The Pax Center, which is affiliated with State Street Community Church, has three community gardens producing food available to the public.

Jamie Buchanan of the PAX Center told the city’s Board of Public Works & Safety on Tuesday that vegetables will be grown in nine planters along State St. east of Monroe St.

“The idea is to call it the State St. Garden Walk,” she said.

She said the vegetables grown in the planters will also go to members of the community.

Under the agreement unanimously approved by the board, the PAX Center will plant and tend to the vegetables while the city will provide the water along with any soil and mulch needs.

“What a great program this will be for the summer,” said Mayor Tom Dermody.

The remainder of the planters, including those on Lincolnway, will continue to have flowers and plants.

(La Porte County, IN) - Another driver failed in a bid to outrun La Porte County Police in what was a lengthy pursuit early today.

Police said 36 year old Hassan Malley was pulled over for a license plate violation at Indiana 212 and Tryon Road on Michigan City’s east side.

During a computer check, a warrant for his arrest turned up from Wisconsin, police said.  That’s when Malley allegedly hit the gas pedal, venturing into Michigan on U.S. 12 then back into Michigan City where stop sticks were used to puncture one of his tires.

However, police said the Beverly Shores man kept going then headed west on Interstate 94 for a mile or two before stopping.

Malley was taken to the La Porte County Jail where a hold was placed on him for authorities in Wisconsin.  He was also charged with Level 6 felony resisting law enforcement and two misdemeanor counts.

Police said the pursuit began about 1 a.m.

(Indianapolis, IN) - Some of the state’s highest unemployment rates are here in Northwest Indiana.

The latest figures from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development show Lake County has the second highest unemployment rate at 5.1 percent.

Starke County at 4.7 percent was third and La Porte County at 4.1 percent was seventh for highest jobless rates statewide.

The highest at 5.7 percent was in the Kokomo area, where automobile factories are a major employer.  The unemployment rates in Porter and St. Joseph counties were 3.8 percent and 3.9 percent.

(Michigan City, IN) - Charges have been filed in connection with two people being shot outside a Michigan City gas station.

Lashaun Murry, 44, is charged with aggravated battery, criminal recklessness and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent offender.

According to court documents, Murry is suspected in the March 9 shootings at the BP gas station at 1204 Franklin St.   Those shootings occurred within a short period of time from another shooting of a man by another suspect in the same gas station parking lot, police said.

Police said there were people gathered outside the gas station when shots rang out from a gun held by a man sitting in the driver’s seat of a car.

The victims were found at the hospital.

One of the male victims was shot in the right shoulder while the other person was wounded in the right leg and left shoulder, police said.

Both Murry and the suspect in the other shooting that seem connected, Kizzy Harper, are from Elkhart.

(La Porte County, IN) - Speeds reached 130 miles per hour and one of the men in the fleeing vehicle was later found hiding inside a garbage can.

The suspected driver in that chase from La Porte to Porter counties is now facing charges. 

Jerrod Joiner, 26, of Chicago was arrested last week about 10 days after a warrant for him was issued on charges that included assisting with a crime. 

Authorities said Joiner on February 10 was driving for a man who had just committed an act of fraud at a bank in Chesterton.

After the vehicle was located by La Porte County Police in Wanatah, there was a high speed chase on U.S. 30. The pursuit weaving through heavy afternoon traffic continued on Indiana 49.

It later veered onto the Indiana Toll Road where the men stopped and fled on foot near Portage, police said. 

Joiner was taken into custody in a residential neighborhood and so was the other man located inside a garbage can.

The second man later identified as Michael Aldaco from the Chicago area refused to come out but was grabbed once police tipped over the can, according to court documents.

(La Porte, IN) - The process has begun for determining the fate of Kiwanis Field, the longtime home of the La Porte High School football team and other school related activities.

La Porte Schools Superintendent Dr. Sandra Wood said a committee is being formed to look into things like the existing condition of the stadium and costs of renovating the structure versus constructing a new facility.

“I think we all recognize very much how much meaning Kiwanis Field has to this community and we want to be able to honor that and acknowledge that.  We have to look at this from a big picture perspective, though, because there is, of course, costs associated with any move that we make,” she said.

The formation of a committee is the first response, perhaps, the school corporation has formally made in response to repeated demands from Preserve Historic La Porte, a group that has offered in recent years to pay for a study to determine the cost of renovating the stadium constructed in 1950.

The group has also offered to pay for applying to have Kiwanis Field placed on the National Register of Historic Places, claiming such a designation would open the door for pursuing grants to help renovate and maintain the structure.

Preserve Historic La Porte has been pushing the school corporation to move forward out of concern the condition of Kiwanis Field will worsen the longer its future remains unaddressed.

The group is also behind an online petition drive that currently has 748 verified signatures in support of saving the structure.

“I think a lot of people have a different opinion on what the best path forward is.  I think the one thing within our district we can all agree on is that we want to have a facility that meets the needs of our students and our football program moving forward with updated and modern facilities,” she said.

Wood said she anticipates the committee to come back as soon as early fall with a recommendation for the school board. She said the recommendation could include options for the school board to decide which one fits best within the corporation’s budget.

(Michigan City, IN) - Charges are filed in connection with a shooting in Michigan City.

Kizzy Harper, 48, is charged with Level 3 felony aggravated battery and Level 5 felony battery in La Porte Superior Court 1.

According to court documents, the shooting happened on March 9 at the BP gas station on Franklin St. on the city’s north side.

Police said it appears a number of people who don’t like each other were in the parking lot about 3:30 a.m. when a man in a vehicle was punched in the face through an open window then stepped out to fire two warning shots.

Apparently, a fight was about to occur when the man punched and still holding a gun was shot by Harper, who resides in Elkhart, police said.

Police said the victim’s gunshot wound did not appear life threatening.

According to police, it appears the suspect and several others had just been involved in a possible fight at a restaurant and bar on Franklin St. just a few blocks south from where the shooting took place.

(La Porte County, IN) - Two men could face prison time after caught passing through La Porte County with an alleged bulk shipment of black market marijuana wax.

Roman Alvarez, 32, of Gilbert, Arizona and Sean Downing, 45, of Makawao, Hawaii are each charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 5 felony dealing in marijuana.

According to court documents, the men on April 17 were in an SUV rented in southern California stopped by La Porte County Police for tailgating a semi-truck on the Indiana Toll Road near Rolling Prairie.

Downing claimed to be a licensed carrier of cannabis in Hawaii traveling to smoke shops in New York City where he was looking to become a partner in the businesses, police said.

While recreational marijuana is legal in New York, only medical marijuana is legal in Hawaii and only if someone has three grams or less of the drug. In Indiana, both forms of marijuana remain illegal.

Suspecting falsehoods in their reasons given for traveling, a drug sniffing dog was brought out and detected suspected narcotics in the vehicle, police said.

According to court documents, a search of the vehicle produced three totes each containing 16 large, clear bottles of THC wax. Two more large wax filled bottles were found inside two cardboard boxes in the vehicle.

A search of Downing’s cell phone further enhanced the suspicions of law enforcement from chats revealing concerns about being caught and having been followed for several miles by a police officer earlier in their trip, according to court documents.

Both men could each face anywhere from a one to six year sentence.

(La Porte County, IN) - About 20 LaPorte County farmers on Monday received assurance from Congressman Rudy Yakym that early trade talks with other nations over threats of tariffs are going in the right direction.

LaPorte County Farm Bureau President Mark Parkman said the feedback from Yakym gave him a sense of comfort but, with no outcome yet, he remains plenty worried.

“Until we know for sure the way it’s going to be, we’re still nervous because anything can happen,” he said.

Parkman said he also felt a little more at ease over Yakym’s assurance the tariff situation is strictly about helping America and its people, including farmers.

“Of course, he doesn’t have a crystal ball and he told us that, but he does feel it’s being done for the right reason,” he said.

Parkman raises corn, soybeans, wheat about 200 head of cattle at his farm near Westville. A few weeks ago, Parkman invited Yakym to a commercial building he owns in Westville to address the concerns of local farmers about the tariffs President Trump imposed on other countries and later paused, except for China, to negotiate better trade deals.

Also at the meeting was Matt Schafer, a member of LaPorte County Farm Bureau and farmer from LaCrosse, who shares the concerns reflected throughout the agriculture industry.

Schafer said he appreciated hearing from Yakym, but the tariff situation despite looking favorable early on is still up in the air.

“I don’t know if I feel a lot different about it than I did going in,” he said.

Fears include tariffs driving up the cost of fertilizer and other inputs along with machinery and parts from other countries and causing the price of crops to drop from tariffs other countries imposed on U.S. imports.

Agriculture wants the outcome of the trade talks to be the exact opposite.

“Mutually beneficial agreements, hopefully, can be reached,” Schafer said.

Schafer said he expressed to Yakym how important market stability is in planning for the new growing season but there’s been a lot of price volatility recently because of uncertainty brought on by the tariff situation.

“They keep preaching short term pain versus long term gain.  While not ideal, I guess that’s fine as long as we kind of know what we can expect,” he said.

For now, Parkman said he seems to be on solid ground because he purchased all of his seed, fertilizer and other supplies for spring planting after President Trump was elected in November.,

He suspected the tariff situation would be coming after Trump made it known during the campaign this is what he was going to do to eliminate longstanding unfair trade and return jobs back to America.

“We went ahead and locked in all of our prices for this growing season,” he said.

Schafer said he also purchased all of his spring planting supplies late in the year, but that’s been a longstanding practice by his family.

Yakym is a member of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, which is greatly involved in matters such as taxes and tariffs.

“That was comforting to be able to hear that from a congressman who is a lot more familiar with the situation than we are,” Parkman said.

(Wanatah, IN) - La Porte County Police believe peanut butter was used to try and cause someone to fall from a piece of school playground equipment.

Police were called to pre K-12 Wanatah School on Friday.

A woman who brought some small children to the school park was one of the people making the discovery of peanut butter smeared on the steps of a rock wall and climbing chain used to help scale the wall.

Police said the suspect could be an unidentified large male judging by a set of hand prints made with peanut butter left at the playground.

(La Porte, IN) - It’s Dyngus Day today.

Nearly a dozen bars in La Porte are taking part.

As always, the food menus include cabbage rolls, sausage and kraut and pierogis to celebrate the polish holiday along with plenty of alcoholic beverages such as 16 ounce glasses of Miller Lite on tap for $3.

At Burger Bar & Grill at 821 E. Lincolnway, Phil Tanksley at 7:30 a.m. was in the kitchen preparing for hungry customers expected to start coming in when his doors open at 9 a.m.

“I have my cabbage rolls in the oven cooking,” he said.

Buses will again be offering free rides to and from all of the bars starting at 4 p.m. until 11 p.m. This is the 38^th Dyngus Day celebration in La Porte.

Dyngus Day is also celebrated in Michigan City without as much hoopla or buses like in La Porte. 

The holiday held the day after Easter dates back centuries when people celebrated the end of fasting during Lent.

(La Porte County, IN) - Hundreds of children raced out with smiling faces to start gathering 5,000 eggs dropped from a helicopter Saturday morning and the 10,000 eggs that were already on the ground.

Less than 20 minutes later, all of the plastic eggs had been picked up and started being cracked open for the various prizes inside.

Lydia Grott, 13, of Union Mills found small pieces of candy in the eggs from her basket along with a ticket to be redeemed later for an undisclosed prize ranging from cash, games, toys and bicycles.

“It’s really fun,” she said.

She came with her mother, Gloria Grott, who also brought her four grandchildren, ages 5, 7, 11 and 12.

The Saturday morning Easter egg hunt at the LaPorte County Fairgrounds was put on by Bethany Lutheran Church.

The LaPorte church has a hunt every year but this was the first time it featured a helicopter egg drop. 

Pastor Dennis Meyer said the usual annual turn out, including children and adults, is about 250 but he estimated this year’s crowd at about 1,500.

“We just want everybody to have a very, very happy Easter and feel that God loves them and experience that love and know that it’s free.  Free for all people,” he said.

Everyone in a long row was kept several hundred feet away until all of the eggs finished dropping from the slow moving helicopter passing over the designated hunt area at low altitude.

What followed was sort of a stampede of children leaving many parents and other family members kind of in the dust but still having a good time.

“This is awesome,” said Donna Nieman of Michigan City.

She and her husband, Matt, enjoyed seeing the kids rushing by as they stayed behind to watch their two year old granddaughter, Lindsey, reach down for eggs and place them into her basket.

Cody Duncan of LaPorte brought his children Scarlett, 8, Kylo, 2, and Kalia 1.

“It’s pretty great.  The kids seem to love it,” he said.

Megan Heslin of LaPorte and many others in attendance had never before seen eggs fall from a helicopter.  She and her fiancé, Austin, and their children, Stella, 5, and Jayden, 1, also enjoyed the free pancake breakfast offered prior to the hunt.

“It’s super cool.  Lots of fun,” she said.

There was another helicopter drop of 5,000 plastic eggs during the afternoon for a church sponsored hunt strictly for adults.  The cash prizes in those eggs were larger and included two eggs worth $1,000 apiece, said Carrie Garwood, a church member and coordinator of the events.

A helicopter drop will not be part of the festivities later in the evening for a glow in the dark hunt for teenagers.

Garwood said there were 40,000 pre-filled eggs along with $5,000 worth of cash and prizes for the three hunts combined.  The children’s hunt was free while there will be a charge of $5 for the teenage hunt and $10 for the adult hunt.

There was also food and beverages available for purchase.

Garwood said the proceeds are going toward helping local first responders and the Slicers Champions, a mentoring program for students at La Porte High School.

“Bethany is always looking at ways to give back to the community and there’s no better time to do that than Easter weekend,” she said.

(La Porte, IN) - “Listen, my children, and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere...”

In April of 1860, American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was inspired as he climbed the tower of Boston’s Old North Church—the place where two lanterns were hung 85 years before to warn local colonists that the British were coming. His quickly-penned poem. “Paul Revere’s Ride,” though not entirely true to history, became a classic for generations of Americans.

Revere’s aim was simple: to preserve a pivotal and historic moment for posterity. “Hardly a man is alive,” he wrote, “Who remembers that famous day and year.”

La Porte, not immune from tradition, is celebrating Paul Revere’s historic ride, which this weekend celebrates its 250^th anniversary. Local historian and longtime South Central school teacher Bruce Johnson offers a quick lesson for any La Porteans who have forgotten the tale:

“On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott, members of the Sons of Liberty, were prepared to alert the colonists of the advancement of the British Army. Spies had learned that the British were planning to march to Lexington to destroy patriot military weapons and supplies and capture the patriotic leaders, Samuel Adams and John Hancock. The sexton of the Old North Church in Boston was to hang 2 lanterns in the steeple as a warning if the British were seen advancing on the Charles River. If they were seen advancing by land, there would be one lantern put in place. When Revere learned that the British had 'arrived by sea', he set off through the countryside to Lexington to warn Adams and Hancock and many people along the way.”

In honor of this historic event, two lanterns have been placed in the La Porte County courthouse tower. Households and businesses throughout La Porte County have been encouraged to hang lanterns as well.

The commemoration, dubbed “Two Lights for Tomorrow,” is one of several events that have been set in motion to celebrate our country’s Semiquincentennial in the coming year. Johnson is Chairman of America 250 La Porte County and is heading up the efforts locally.

The first event took place last September, when the Miriam Benedict Chapter of the D.A.R. and the City of La Porte declared the 17th- 23rd as Constitution Week to observe the 237^th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.

At that time a “Liberty Tree” was planted at the entrance to Soldiers Memorial Park on Pine Lake Avenue near the Veteran’s Walk. According to Johnson, “The original Liberty Tree was an elm tree on the Boston Common in Massachusetts where patriots would gather to protest against the rule of the British over the colonists. The tree became a symbol of the American Revolution.” La Porte’s Liberty Tree pays tribute to the seven Revolutionary War soldiers who were buried in La Porte County. “Abijah Bigelow was buried in Greenwood Cemetery,” said Johnson, “Clark Burlingame and Ezekiel Smith in Door Village Cemetery, John Stoner in Miller-Griffith Cemetery, Henry Vandalsem in Oak Grove Cemetery, Simeon Wheeler in Low Cemetery, and Thomas Burch on his family homestead.”

The next Semiquincentennial event will honor “Old Glory” for Flag Day. Beginning June 14th through the Fourth of July, all public buildings, businesses, and homes will be encouraged to prominently display the American Flag. Other patriotic events will follow in 2026.

In the meantime, La Porteans can cast a gaze at their courthouse tower and remember Paul Revere, the Boston silversmith, burdened with heavy purpose, who rose to the occasion in aid to his fellow colonists.

(St. Joseph County, IN) -  The Indiana Department of Transportation is hosting a public information meeting regarding a major change to a highway intersection east of La Porte County.

The state is proposing to install an interchange on SR 2 at Larrison Boulevard/Strawberry Road), where much traffic comes and goes at the industrial area near the new sprawling Amazon data center. The project includes the widening of Larrison/Strawberry in the interchange, plus the construction of new bridges necessary for an overpass. Additional design elements may be added as the project develops.
 

(Porter County, IN) - A Valparaiso man recently arrested for exploiting children now faces additional child pornography charges.

The Indiana State Police investigated a report of illegal images involving children which had been shared using a social media platform called Kik. Authorities traced the images to 20-year-old Kaiden Aurenz of Valparaiso.

On Wednesday he was charged with three felony counts of Child Exploitation.

According to court records, Aurenz also has at least three other cases of child pornography and solicitation pending against him.

Aurenz remains incarcerated at the Porter County Jail.  State Police Detectives were assisted by the Valparaiso Police Department in the investigation.

To report a crime with your child as a victim involving the internet or other electronic means, please contact your local Indiana law enforcement agency. ICAC Taskforce website: https://www.in.gov/isp/icactf/.

(Michigan City, IN) - A teenager was shot to death in Michigan City early today.

According to Michigan City Police, the 15 year old victim was found inside one of the apartment buildings at Garden Estates. The residential complex is just west of Frankin St. south of U.S. 20.

Police said officers received the call to respond about 12:20 a.m. The juvenile was transported to the hospital but later died.

So far, no arrests have been reported. Police said the investigation is continuing. Currently, no further details are being provided.  

Anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or has information is asked to contact Michigan City Police.

(Indianapolis, IN) - Motorists are being asked to be courteous and patient with farmers heading out to their fields soon in tractors and other machinery.

"I want to encourage all motorists this spring to slow down, drive safely and share our roads with farmers and their large slow moving equipment,” said Indiana Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith, who’s also the state’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

In 2022, eleven occupants were involved in crashes with farm equipment in Indiana which resulted in one death, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The most common types of farm equipment motorists will encounter during planting season include sprayers, tractors pulling planters or tillage equipment, and large trucks hauling agricultural products. These vehicles are wide, sometimes taking up most of the road, and often travel at speeds no greater than 25 mph.

Among the safety tips from law enforcement include no tailgating or passing on the left until certain the farmer ahead is not planning to turn left.

(Michigan City, IN) - The Salvation Army of Michigan City will celebrate National Volunteer Month by hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon to recognize volunteers at the non-profit organization.

This luncheon is free and open to anybody who has volunteered with The Salvation Army of Michigan City over the past year.

It will take place on  April 25 at The Salvation Army, 1201 S. Franklin Street, from 11:30am to 1:00pm.

“April is National Volunteer Month and a great time for us to recognize those who give of their time to help in our mission of doing the most good,” said Major Becky Simmons, who oversees The Salvation Army of Michigan City with her husband, Major Dale Simmons.

“Our organization is dedicated to serving those in need in the community, but we couldn’t do this without our volunteers.  We take this opportunity to say thank you,” she said. 
 

More than 7,000 volunteer hours were served at The Salvation Army of Michigan City last year, including about 900 hours of bell ringing during the 2024 Christmas Campaign.
 

During the luncheon, awards such as “Volunteers of the Year” and “Volunteer Bell Ringer of the Year” will be presented.

The keynote speaker will be Kurt Gillins, President of the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce.

According to the Salvation Army, more than 6,000 food orders through the pantry, over 26,000 items through the free clothing room and more than 37,000 diapers wound up in the hands of the need over the past year. Christmas toys were also provided to 1,468 children during the holidays.

“This level of impact cannot happen without an army of volunteers, and we are so grateful for the support we receive from the Michigan City community,” Mrs. Simmons said.

(Michigan City, IN) - The Michigan City Common Council has given preliminary approval for building over 200 homes on the city’s northeast side.

On first reading, the council supported a change in zoning request to build townhomes, apartments and single family houses on 40 acres at Tryon Road and Royal Road.

John Kavchak, a partner in the proposed development between Sloane Avenue Group and Redstone Group, told the council the construction would happen in three phases over a several year period.

The units would be available to purchase and rent.

The project has already gained the support of the Michigan City Plan Commission and should go before the city council for a final vote sometime in May.

If approved, site work could begin as soon as this summer with the first units available for sale possibly in 2026.

(Michigan City, IN) - The public will be given a chance to offer feedback on a proposed recovery home for La Porte County offenders with substance abuse issues.

Two town hall meetings are planned later this month at the former St. Anthony Hospital on the city’s northwest side.

Across the street from there is the site of the proposed respite home, which would hold up to 20 offenders placed there by the courts.  

Tom Nazimek, who lives next door to where the facility would go, told the city council this week his concerns include security in the heavily residential neighborhood with a school and school bus stop nearby.

“A better location can and must be found,” he said.

The La Porte County Drug Free Partnership is involved in the effort to build what would be the first respite home in the county.

According to the LCDFP, close to $1 million of in-kind donations have been collected already to help pay for construction while funding such as state and federal grants would be sought to go toward operating expenses.

The La Porte County Council has pledged $750,000 to help offset construction costs.  Residents would stay for up to two years while receiving additional case management and other help like job training to assist in their recoveries.

Supporters believe such facilities assist in recovering from drug and alcohol abuse because offenders once released from jail are not returning to their original environments where temptation could still exist.

According to LCDFP, the home would be run through the Indiana Department of Mental Health.  The town hall meetings are scheduled April 30 at 11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

(La Porte County, IN) - A helicopter will drop thousands of eggs for children and adults to gather up on Saturday, the day before Easter, at the La Porte County Fairgrounds.

Two drops of 5,000 plastic eggs apiece are scheduled at 10:30 a.m. for the children’s Easter egg hunt and at 3:30 p.m. for the adults-only scavenging.

There will also be a separate glow in the dark egg hunt for teenagers later in the evening as part of the festivities that begin with a free pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. said Carrie Garwood, a member of Bethany Lutheran Church, the sponsors of the annual event.

Garwood said it’s the first time a helicopter will drop eggs as part of the hunt.

“It’s pretty exciting,” she said.

In addition to eggs from the helicopter, Garwood said another 30,000 eggs will be in hiding for children, adults and teenagers to try and find.

Garwood said every egg will contain a prize ranging from candy and bicycles to cash along with two hidden eggs worth $1,000 apiece for the adult hunt.

The Easter bunny will also make an appearance.

People wanting to come out are encouraged in register in advance and have through Friday to do so at bethanylaporte.org.

Garwood said the children’s hunt is free while the cost is $5 for the teenage hunt and $10 for the adult hunt. There will also be food and beverages available for purchase.

Garwood said proceeds will go to help local first responders and the Slicers Champions program at La Porte High School.

“Bethany is always looking at ways to give back to the community and there’s no better time to do that than Easter weekend,” she said.

(La Porte County, IN) - There were no injuries when a passenger van today drove into the side of the hospital just outside the corporate boundaries of Michigan City.

Police said the vehicle struck an outside wall on the south side of Franciscan Health in the area of U.S. 421 and Interstate 94.

No information was available yet on what caused the collision or the extent of the damage. 

According to hospital officials, the hospital is fully operational today.

(La Porte County, IN) - Nobody was injured despite a car tangling with a semi-truck pulling a trailer in La Porte County late this morning.

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office reports the accident occurred on U.S. 35 south of U.S. 20.

The northbound lane of the two lane highway was temporarily blocked. However, the southbound lane remained open to keep motorists in both directions moving with help from deputies directing traffic. 

We’ll provide more details once additional information about the crash becomes available.

(Indianapolis, IN) -Another execution has been scheduled at Indiana State Prison.

Benjamin Ritchie was convicted of killing a police officer downstate over 20 years ago.  According to authorities, Ritchie was being chased in a stolen van then later on foot when he turned toward the officer and fatally shot him four times.

The execution at the Michigan City prison is set for May 20. The date was set by the Indiana Supreme Court at the request of the Indiana Attorney General’s Office.

If it goes through, this will be the second execution in Indiana since December when the first prison offender in 15 years was put to death in the state.

Until then, a hold had been placed on executions because of a long term shortage of lethal injection drugs.

(La Porte County, IN) - A La Porte area woman fell victim to a PayPal telephone scam but wised up in time to prevent further losses.

According to La Porte County, the 77 year old La Porte area woman last night reported the caller identifying himself as “Jerry” claimed to be an employee of PayPal.

Supposedly, the woman had a past due debt that Jerry claimed she could settle by purchasing gift cards containing money and giving him the card numbers for withdrawing the cash.

Police said the women went out and purchased $300 worth of gift cards and texted him the numbers. In addition, the woman told police she gave out the numbers to her bank accounts.

At some point, she became suspicious enough to have her accounts frozen and the numbers changed before “Jerry” could start making withdrawals prior to her contacting police.

As a result, she was out just the $300 she spent on the gift cards, police said.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man is accused of not paying for a box of chicken wings and other food related items at Walmart last evening.

Police said James Woodson, 43, of Michigan City was at a self-checkout machine but didn’t price scan everything in his shopping cart. 

He was stopped by an asset protection officer while leaving and it was only then that he offered to pay for the merchandise, police said.

The 9 ounce box of frozen chicken wings and the other unpaid for items, including frozen crab meat and pet food, were valued at more than $60, police said.

Police said Woodson was given a summons to appear in court on a theft charge.   Walmart also banned him from coming back to the store.

(Michigan City, IN) - Over five tons of trash and debris removed from ditches, roadways and easements over the past three months are among the things being applauded in Michigan City prior to Earth Day next week.

According to the mayor’s office, another reason to celebrate is the removal of abandoned tires from neighborhoods over the same time period.

The work was done by employees of the city’s Vector Control Department, which focuses on controlling potential disease carrying mosquitoes along with the environment.

“Our team is dedicated year-round to protecting the health and well-being of Michigan City residents,” said the city's Vector Control Director Brett Kelley, Sr.

Earth Day is Tuesday.

“Earth Day gives us a special opportunity to reflect on our shared responsibility to safeguard the environment not just for today, but for generations to come,” Kelley said.

(La Porte County, IN) - Work is scheduled to begin tomorrow on repaving a long stretch of road in La Porte County.

County Road 300 East will be repaved from the Michigan state line to Indiana 2 near Rolling Prairie.

La Porte County Commissioner Steve Holifield said work on grinding up the pavement will begin on Thursday then new pavement will start being laid the following day, weather permitting.

“It’s time.  It needs it.  There’s a lot of potholes,” he said.

He said the work is being paid for with proceeds from a state road funding matching grant.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Police arrested a very impaired looking driver posing a danger to other motorists last evening.

A test showed no alcohol in the blood stream of the driver, Dakota Baskin, who claimed he had smoked what he called “prickly lettuce.”

Police said an officer responded to a report of a pick-up truck weaving and traveling into oncoming traffic southbound on Johnson Road. The vehicle was located stopped on Wozniak Road with approaching vehicles backing up behind and in front of his 2002 Ford F 150.

Police said the officer recognized symptoms of impairment in the driver like red and glassy eyes, droopy eyelids and swaying as he stood.

After his claims of not consuming alcohol were proven, the officer asked if he had taken any narcotics, police said.

In response, Baskin said he smoked “prickly lettuce, explaining the substance is used by Native Americans to “calm down,” according to police. 

According to experts, the leaf is believed to have other medicinal purposes for treating things like pain and is used as a stimulant.  Police said the man also revealed he has a prescription for a medication that advises no driving after consumption.

He was arrested for operating while intoxicated.  Investigators are waiting for the results of a blood test to determine if he had consumed any foreign  substances.

(La Porte County, IN) - The governor has signed a property tax cutting bill adopted by the state legislature this week.

However, a local state lawmaker says what’s saved in property taxes will likely be lost from higher local income taxes.

Voting against the measure was State Senator Mike Bohacek, who says property owners will see a tax reduction of up to 300 dollars a year.

To make up for the lost revenue, he said local governments, including cities and towns, were given the ability to adopt a local income tax or increase the local income taxes now in place.

Bohacek said it won’t take much of a local ncome tax hike for Hoosiers to actually pay more in taxes overall.

“This has I would say the absolutely certainty of being an overall tax burden increase as opposed to a decrease,” he said.

Bohacek of Michiana Shores said the real winners are businesses from paying less in taxes on their equipment.

Under the measure, he said the savings will come from companies not having to pay taxes on equipment valued at less than $1 million, initially, and later $2 million. Currently, businesses are not taxed on equipment if the value is $80,000 or less.

As a result, Bohacek said more of the tax burden is being shifted onto residents…

“It’s a big windfall for the business community, but it’s being financed on the backs of regular citizens," he said.

He said the measure is going to cost the La Porte County government and the La Porte School Corporation roughly $1 million the first year then more in future years.

Bohacek said the city of La Porte will see an over half million dollar or so revenue loss the first year.

(Michigan City, IN) - Registration is now open for The Michigan City Salvation Army’s annual free summer camp opportunities.

Children, ages 6 to 17, who reside in Michigan City are eligible to attend camp through The Salvation Army, including six different camps that will take place at Hidden Falls Camp in Bedford, IN.

The experience will be a four to six-day overnight visit, depending on the camp.

Kids Camp will be held June 13 to June 15 for children ages 6-8 (registration deadline is May 30); High Adventure Camp for children ages 13 to 17 will take place June 17 to June 21 (registration deadline is June 3; Music Camp will take place from June 23 to June 28 for children ages 9 to 17 (registration deadline is June 9); Tween Camp for children ages 9 to 12 will be held June 30 to July 3 (registration deadline is June 16); Discovery Camp will be held July 7 to July 11 and is open to children ages 8 to 14 (registration deadline is June 23); Teen Camp will take place July 14 to July 18 for ages 13 to 17 (registration deadline is June 30), according to Salvation Army officials. 

To register, a parent or guardian must visit https://hiddenfalls.campbrainregistration.com using the discount code MichiganCityFull.

Parents will also be required to stop by The Salvation Army at 1201 S. Franklin Street to pick up the parent packet and pay a $10 deposit per child per camp.

There is no cost to attend camp, which includes free transportation, meals, lodging and activities.

However, the $10 deposit per child required to hold that child’s spot at camp will be refunded when camp takes place, officials said. 

(Michigan City, IN) - The amount of money for youth and neighborhoods raised from the Michigan City mayor’s 2^nd Annual Charitable Gala exceeded last year’s six digit figure.

Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch said over $145,000 was raised through ticket sales and sponsorships for the event held Friday at Blue Chip Casino.

Over $100,000 was raised last year.

“I’m proud to announce that we’ve not only matched that momentum but we’ve surpassed it,” she said.

Over 25 youth serving organizations were the recipients of last year’s funding.

Deuitch said money from the gala this year will go toward things like playgrounds, community gardens, neighborhood contests, community clean-ups and youth initiatives.

“When we pour into our young people and invest in the places they call home, we’re building a more connected, empowered and beautiful Michigan City,” she said.

(La Porte, IN) - A huge chunk of money remaining from a $1 million federal grant the City of La Porte was using for removing old and unhealthy trees has been snatched back.

Mayor Tom Dermody plans to meet soon with representatives of Congressman Rudy Yakym and decision makers involved in awarding the grant in an attempt to recover the lost revenue.

Dermody said about $750,000 was remaining from the grant awarded last year by the U.S. Forest Service to conduct more tree removal in the future.

On the “Morning Mayhem” program on 96.7 The Eagle this morning, Dermody said he supports tightening the financial belt on federal spending but taking back already awarded funds should not part of it.

“I’m a big believer the federal government has to live within their means and start getting control financially but you honor what you did,” he said.

He went on to say tree removal here is in the best interest of public safety given the threat of property damage and harm posed by some of the trees.

A high percentage of the city’s old trees are maples from mass plantings a century or more ago. The plan is replacing those trees with different species of trees that won’t result in the sidewalk damage that occurred from the roots on the maples.

Dermody said he hopes the decision is not a misunderstanding over the wording contained in the city’s grant application about the desire to achieve a more diverse urban forest given the opposing stance on human diversity by the new administration in the White House and the charge on spending cuts led by the president’s new federal Department of Government Efficiency.

“We hope the word diverse hasn’t caused a problem.  You know what I’m saying?,” he said.

(La Porte County, IN) - Sentencing is scheduled next month for a Wanatah man who pleaded guilty to child molesting.

Zachary Riley, 31, entered into a plea agreement in La Porte Circuit Court last week. Under the terms, he would receive no more than a nine year sentence on Level 3 felony child molesting.

A hearing is scheduled May 23 for attorneys on both sides of the case to argue sentencing before Judge Julianne Havens, if she accepts the terms of the guilty plea.

According to court documents, Riley was arrested on allegations involving a five year old boy in 2023. The boy told investigators the acts occurred on more than one occasion.

(La Porte County, IN) - A woman was killed in a single vehicle crash Tuesday morning outside La Porte.

According to the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office, 22 year old Macayla Boone was traveling County Road 300 East just before 3 a.m. Her vehicle crossed the center line then crashed into two tree stumps south of Indiana 4.

Police said the La Porte woman was ejected and pronounced dead at the

scene.

Investigators are waiting for the results of a standard blood test to determine whether alcohol or drugs were involved, police said.  No further details were released.

(La Porte County, IN) - A Michigan City man has died after crashing his vehicle into a ditch.

Nicholas Irvine, 50, was found about 5 p.m. Monday lying unconscious on an access road by a motorist traveling on County Line Road near 400 North, according to La Porte County Police.

Police said Irvine was taken by ambulance to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The investigation shows he had recently been operating a 2009 Chevrolet that crashed into the ditch of an agricultural field.  Police said the vehicle entered the field from a nearby access road.

Investigators are waiting for the results of a blood test to determine if alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash. An autopsy will also be performed to determine cause and manner of death, police said.

(Michigan City, IN) - Meijer in Michigan City was evacuated Saturday night because of a man chased by police running inside the store with a gun and threatening to shoot himself.

Eventually, the man identified as 27 year old Nathan Gruntzel after several hours of negotiating with police inside the store shot himself in the upper torso.

According to police, his injuries at this time do not appear life threatening.

Michigan City Police said the situation began when officers about 9 p.m. on Saturday responded to Baymont Motel at 4128 Franklin St. on a report of children possibly being battered by a man inside their room.

Police said the mother of the children told investigators there was an argument after she learned her boyfriend, Gruntzel, was wanted in the state of Wisconsin for sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.

After confirming the warrant for his arrest, police said officers found Gruntzel in a vehicle in the motel parking lot.

Police said he stepped out of the vehicle and began running toward Meijer, where he jumped a fence into the Garden Center.  Officers chasing him on foot managed to contain Gruntzel to the Garden Center where he placed a gun to his head threatening to shoot, police said.

The store was evacuated.

After six hours of trying to get him to put down the gun and surrender, Gruntzel shot himself, police said.

He was taken by ambulance to nearby Franciscan Health hospital and later transferred to a medical facility in South Bend for more advanced care.

(Berrien County, MI) - Authorities are trying to determine why a man was on Interstate 94 on foot when fatally struck by a semi-truck.

This happened just before 3 a.m. Saturday just south of Bridgman, Michigan.

According to Berrien County Police, the truck driver told investigators he thought it was an animal that appeared in the roadway and he could not avoid the collision.

After pulling over, though, he discovered it was a man he had struck.

Police said the victim was 35 year old Jose Hernandez of Sawyer. Investigators are talking with family members and friends and seeking phone records to determine why he was on the interstate. 

(La Porte County, IN) - A vehicle trespassing on private property caught fire and the flames spread to three old wooden barns on land belonging to the owners of a nearby blueberry farm in northern La Porte County.

The largest barn was totally destroyed while another one sustained heavy damage, said Springfield Township Fire Chief Steve Marvel. He said damage to the other barn was less extensive from being the last one to catch fire, giving firefighters time to save it.

According to La Porte County Police, the owner of the vehicle on Saturday decided to pull on to the property on 925 North just west of Indiana 39.

The driver, Courtney Wilson, explained he was returning from a laundromat in New Buffalo and simply wanted to enjoy the view of the countryside to get his mind off some personal things he’s going through.

His van, a 2007 Honda Odyssey, became stuck in the muddy ground between two of the barns and, while using the gas and brake pedals to try and rock the vehicle out, smoke began rising from under the hood.

Police said Wilson told investigators he then quickly saw rapidly spreading flames underneath the vehicle.

Marvel said the flames catching the grass on fire spread to two barns closest to the vehicle, which was totally destroyed.

He said the other barn was set ablaze by the extreme heat emitting from the largest barn, which was engulfed in flames when he parked his fire truck about 80 feet away.

“I could feel the heat as soon as I got out,” he said.

Marvel said the barns did not seem to be used much except for one that appeared to have tires in it.

According to police, the property belongs to Dean Ott.  Ott is the owner of nearby Stateline Blueberries, a popular place for u-picking during the harvest season.

(La Porte County, IN) - Authorities are investigating the death of a La Porte County man found at the bottom of a well Friday afternoon.

La Porte County Coroner Lynn Swanson identified the man as 65 year old Chester Gouge.

Emergency responders about 4 p.m. were called to the 5800 block of N. 400 West just north of U.S. 20 in Springfield Township.

A short time later, members of the District 1 Technical Rescue Team were dispatched to the scene to recover the man who was now believed deceased.

“We knew from the start it was a recovery, not a rescue,” said La Porte Fire Department Capt. A.C. Pressler, one of the rescue team members responding to recover the body.

Pressler said other responding members from the team are from the Michigan City and Gary fire departments, who live in the area.

He said a member of the rescue team fastened to a rope for security purposes climbed down the roughly three foot wide well lined by a plastic tube on a ladder to reach the man.

Pressler said a harness tied to another rope was placed on the victim, who was lifted out of the well using a pulley system.

“There were two separate support systems.  One for our guy and one for the one individual,” he said.

So far, no light has been shed on how the man wound up at the bottom of the well. Swanson said an autopsy will be performed to try and determine cause of death.

Pressler said the rescue team covers District 1, which consists of La Porte, Porter, Lake, Pulaski and Jasper counties. 

(La Porte, IN) - Details are now coming in about the life of a man saved while threatening to jump off the U.S. 35 overpass in downtown La Porte.

According to La Porte Police, the 42 year old man climbed the chain link fence running along the top of the overpass about 7 p.m. on Saturday.

He kept threatening to jump and only wanted to speak with a sheriff’s deputy.

Upon arrival, the deputy began talking to him then reached through the fence and grabbed the belt loop of the man’s pants. Two La Porte Police officers then grabbed him by the feet.

A ladder from a fire truck was extended to the man, who was placed into the bucket of the ladder and safely brought down, police said.

Police said the man was transported to Northwest Health and placed into emergency detention.

(St. Joseph County, IN) - Usually shoppers look for Wild Turkey in the alcohol aisle. Police came to the rescue Thursday as an actual wild turkey terrorized an entire Granger supermarket.

The wildlife encounter happened at the Martin’s on State Road 23. After a wild turkey wondered in from outside and began climbing store shelves, a customer notified authorities. “There’s a very large turkey that just went in the store,” the caller told a 911 dispatcher. “It’s, like, knocking everything off the shelves.”

Police bodycam footage showed three St. Joseph County Sheriff’s deputies cornering the ornery Tom in the pharmacy section and taking it into custody. "No harm, no fowl," police said. The turkey was released on its own recognizance into some nearby woods.

The Sheriff’s Department says K9 Officer Kyle O’Konski, who detained the bird, earned his certification in poultry negotiations.

(Michigan City, IN) - A life was saved in Michigan City, thanks to the quick thinking and actions of bystanders.

According to the Michigan City Fire Department, on Wednesday morning a man collapsed while in the check-out line at the Meijer store on Franklin St. He was not conscious or breathing, and his heart had stopped.

A store employee and another shopper immediately started CPR and utilized an on-site AED (automated external defibrillator) before emergency responders arrived. The fire department reports that the man’s heart was restarted, and he survived.

They say it’s a good reminder of how early CPR and access to an AED can truly save lives.

Free CPR classes through the Michigan City Fire Department are available to the public. The next one is scheduled for Saturday, April 26. Call 219-873-1440 x 4004 for more information or to register.

The next free CPR class in La Porte will take place at Fire Station #1 on Wednesday, April 16, with others scheduled throughout the year. Follow this LINK to the City of La Porte website for more information.

(South Bend, IN) - An area man in possession of enough fentanyl to kill most of the state of Wyoming has been rounded up in Texas.

Indiana State Police raided the South Bend home of 40-year-old Regis Owens last month. He had already fled, but authorities say they found two and a half pounds of fentanyl, one pound of suspected heroin, more than 1,000 pills, a stolen handgun, and two fentanyl presses.

According to authorities, the fentanyl alone was enough to kill 566,000 people, which is also more than the populations of St. Joseph and La Porte Counties combined.

On Wednesday Owens was tracked down by U.S. Marshals in a town near Houston, Texas, where he is currently awaiting extradition.

(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City couple are members of a church that used to be inside an over century old house of worship demolished this week due to safety concerns over the building.

Robert and Tracy McLean were also married in the building in 1986 when it was home to the Full Gospel Church of Deliverance.  For a number of years, Mrs. McLean taught Sunday school in classrooms set up in the basement.

“Very heartbreaking,” she said.

In more recent times, the structure at 301 E. Barker Ave. was home to God’s Grace Church.

Mr. McLean said the inside of the church building resembled a “movie theatre” with pews on a sloped floor running down to the pulpit and a balcony.

“It was a neat old church, but even back in the 80’s it needed work,” she said.

The last time the McLean’s were in the building was about 1990 when their church relocated to another part of Michigan City at 2700 Ohio St. where it still is today.

He also felt a tugging at his heart from the demolition.

“It was like losing a family member.  I had a lot of good memories and a lot of good times there,” he said.

The structure was condemned by the city after barricades were placed around the structure in November from the risk of a bulging and cracked brick outside wall collapsing.

During a Board of Public Works & Safety meeting then, Interim Minister Lisa Jackson appealed for additional time to obtain a cost estimate to see if the necessary repairs were financially within reach of her congregation.

But, after numerous bricks recently dropped from the still unrepaired wall, demolition crews moved in Wednesday and knocked down the building.

Skyler York, the city’s Director of Planning and Inspection, said demolition orders are a last resort once all previous attempts to get properties into compliance with local codes have failed.

(La Porte, IN) - Employees of the City of La Porte and their family members have access to health care services without costing them a penny.

It’s through a new partnership with Franciscan’s HEALTHeACCESS program.

HEALTHeACCESS provides a wide network of conveniently located clinics and expanded primary/urgent care services for participating employers.   Other no out of pocket cost offerings for city employees include enhanced wellness and disease management programs.

“The care and wellbeing of our employees is a top priority for our team,” said Mayor Tom Dermody.

“In the ever-changing world of healthcare, it is important to identify dependable partners. I believe we’ve found that in Franciscan,” he said.

Franciscan has 17 clinics and over 200 employees participating in the program.  A new Franciscan HEALTHeACCESS office opened in July of last year in La Porte at 400 Legacy Plaza West.

The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  More information is available by calling (219) 575-6055.

(Michigan City, IN) - The dates and other specifics for this year’s powerboat racing on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Michigan City have been announced.

The 2025 XINSURANCE Great Lakes Grand Prix will run from July 28 to August 3, featuring many new and exciting additions.

“We have commitments from each race class, and we’re expecting a record number of race teams attending this year’s race,” said Jack Arnett, CEO of the LaPorte County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“We had to expand our pit area to make room for the additional boats.  Attendees will see a whole new and exciting layout this year,” he said.

Arnett said a record was set for the number of VIP tickets sold during the first two hours when tickets started becoming available on April 1.

The 2025 XINSURANCE Great Lakes Grand Prix schedule features several new events in the days leading up to the racing and during the competition.

• Monday, July 28 – Community Appreciation Kick-Off

• Tuesday, July 29 – Logan’s Meet & Greet Benefit Party

• Friday, August 1 – Great Lakes Grand Prix BrewFest

• Saturday & Sunday, August 2-3 – Spectacular Flyovers

VIP tickets, Friday BrewFest tickets, Community Appreciation Kick-Off Event tickets and Logan’s Meet & Greet Party tickets can be obtained at GLGPTickets.com.

For hotel room bookings, people can go to MichiganCityLaPorte.com/places-to-stay.

Full event details and latest updates can be obtained at GreatLakesGrandPrix.com.

(Chesterton, IN) - Riders of the South Shore Railroad commuter line could see a rate increase.

A 10 percent increase in fares is being proposed by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, the operators of the line running trains from South Bend to Chicago.

Over the next 30 days, public comment on the proposal is being accepted.by NICTD during public meetings, electronically and traditional mail.

Responses from the public electronically can be sent to comments@nictd.com or mailed to the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, 33 East U.S. 12, Chesterton, Indiana 46304.

A decision by the NICTD board is expected on May 19. If approved, the higher fees will go into effect on July 1, NICTD officials said. 

(La Porte, IN) - A suspected La Porte heroin dealer has been taken into custody.

Brighton Klibinski, 27, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 4 felony dealing in cocaine or a narcotic drug.

According to court documents, the charge stems from the sale of heroin for $40 outside a home Klibinski was living in at the time in the 1700 block of Weller Ave.

The alleged transaction occurred in August of last year.

Authorities said the charge under Indiana law was elevated to a higher level felony because the buy happened near two children playing in a yard.

During his initial hearing today, Klibinski was appointed a public defender and given a trial date of October 6.  He was being held in the La Porte County Jail on $20,000 bond.

(Michigan City, IN) - The name of the police officer who fired his weapon in the fatal shooting of an armed man last week has been released.

According to Michigan City Police, an independent investigation of the matter is still being investigated by Indiana State Police, who completed their interview with Sgt. Michael Oberle.

Oberle has been a police officer in Michigan City for 15 years.

Police said Oberle continues to be on mandatory administrative leave with pay in accordance with department policy. His future status will be decided by the outcome of the investigation.

According to police, Jorge Meza, 21, of South Bend fled on foot during a traffic stop in the 5800 block of S. Franklin St.  Officers were running after him when Meza was shot and died a short time later.

Further details on the chain of events leading up to the shooting have not been disclosed. 

“I want to express my sincere gratitude for the quick and heroic efforts of the first responders at the scene.  Their actions were brave, professional, and undoubtedly prevented further threat of harm to others in our community. I recognize the seriousness of this event and the impact it has on everyone involved, and I pray for peace for all,” said Michigan City Police Chief Marty Corley.

(Michigan City, IN) - A once bustling historic church best known in more recent times as a public safety threat has been torn down in Michigan City.

God’s Grace Church at 301 E. Barker Ave. was condemned by the city after barricades had been placed around the structure in November from the risk of a bulging brick exterior wall collapsing.

Minister Lisa Jackson appealed to local officials then for additional time to obtain a cost estimate to see if the necessary repairs were financially within reach of her congregation’s budget.

Time ran out as demolition crews moved in Wednesday and knocked it down.

Longtime residents in the neighborhood are feeling both a sense of loss and understanding.

“It’s a little sad but it had to come down,” said Fred Klinder, who has lived on nearby Belden St. for about the past 25 years.

Kathy Stransky, 70, said it’s going to take some adjusting for her to get used to not seeing the church she has practically lived next to since age 4.

“It’s been my longtime neighbor,” she said.

She never attended the church but she has fond memories that include sitting outside the doors with other kids from the neighborhood and singing along to the songs they could hear being sung during services.

“We’d sing with them, Jesus Loves Me, and all kinds of stuff,” she said.

Sometimes, Stransky said they were invited inside after services for cookies and juice.

Stransky said the more than 100 year old church once had a strong congregation judging by the number of people walking up to the doors and vehicles parked along the streets during services.

She said activity at the church held pretty steady but greatly diminished over the past few years.

“They were struggling.  There was no doubt they were struggling,” she said.

Despite her heartfelt sentiments, Stransky couldn’t overlook her concerns about a building she claimed made “crackling” sounds from loose bricks shifting on windy days.

Stransky said she was especially worried about the safety of children in the dense residential neighborhood being next to the wall on their walks to and from school.

Also on her mind was the potential of children venturing over to play on a church stairway and falling into a gap between the top of a stairway and back door of the church.

Klinder, 81, said he and his wife on their daily walks past the church began noticing the outside wall cracked and bulging a few years ago.

His memories of the church date back to when he was a child riding his bicycle to the playground at Marsh Elementary School and seeing people showing up for services at the church across the street.

Klinder, a member of the Michigan City Planning Commission, said there’s been considerable effort over the years to position the city better for the future through redevelopment, but the loss of history from demolition is still sad.

“This is all part of it, I guess. You got to get rid of the old and get some of the new,” he said.

(Michigan City, IN) - The annual lakefront Easter Egg Hunt in Michigan City is scheduled for April 19.

It’ll e held in Fedder’s Alley at Washington Park at 12 p.m. with gates opening at 11:30 a.m.

“The Easter Egg Hunt is a joyful tradition that brings families together and reminds us of the power of community,” said Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch.

According to the mayor’s office, children will be divided into various age groups for the hunt with a dedicated area for handicapped youth near the entrance to the event.  Each child will be given a bag to collect plastic eggs filled with candy and prize tickets.

Parking will be in the main Washington Park parking lots and the Senior Center parking lot. The city is accepting candy donations that can be dropped off at City Hall in the Special Events office. 

Local businesses wishing to participate in the event can contact Eric Williams, Special Events Assistant Director, at ewilliams@emichigancity.com.

(Michigan City, IN) - A suspected good sized drug dealer from La Porte is custody.

Monica Del Real, 25, allegedly was found with large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine during a traffic stop last month in the area of Interstate 94 and U.S. 421.

Police said she was pulled over after recognized by an officer as having warrants out for her arrest by La Porte Police and no driver’s license.  Nearly $5,000 in cash was also found in her purse lying on the floorboard of the vehicle.

After posting bond, a warrant was issued several days later for her arrest on the drug related charges. She was taken into custody just recently and held in the La Porte County Jail on $50,000 bond

The two drug dealing charges against Del Real are each Level 2 felonies, which carry a sentencing range of 10 to 30 years.

(La Porte, IN) - The City of La Porte finished in second place as the best small town in the Midwest in rankings published by USA Today.

About a month ago, La Porte made the Top 20 list of USA Today then voters were allowed to decide the final rankings.

For a few weeks, La Porte was No. 1 in the voting but dropped to No. 2 in the waning hours of the contest and remained just below the top spot the news publication announced today. 

Finishing first was downstate Madison, a community along the Ohio River known for its rich history, food, music scene and Clifty Falls State Park.

In Michigan, Mackinac Island finished in 10th place. 

In placing La Porte in the Top 20, USA Today cited the lakes here along with the historic downtown and special events.

(Michigan City, IN) - Michigan City residents will be able to get rid of old tires at no cost for a short time later this month.

“Tire Amnesty Day” is being offered by the city on April 19 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Michigan City Sanitary District at 1100 E. 8^th St.

According to the mayor’s office, the program is for Michigan City citizens only and a driver’s license must be presented to verify residency. 

Each person will be allowed to dispose of up to five tires only from cars, sport utility vehicles and light trucks.  Tires with rims will not be accepted.

The effort is aimed at reducing blight and litter from the improper disposal of tires and reducing the number of breeding grounds for mosquitoes and rodents, according to the mayor's office. 

For more information, contact the sanitary district at (219) 874-7799.

(La Porte, IN) - A man traveling into La Porte at high speeds nearly caused a head-on collision while impaired before ordered out of his pick-truck.

That’s the picture drawn from allegations filed in La Porte Circuit Court against Mavrick Pitts. The North Judson man is charged with Level 6 felony resisting law enforcement and operating while intoxicated as a Class A misdemeanor.

According to court documents, police just after 4 p.m. on Sunday were notified about a Ford F-350 nearly striking a vehicle head-on while traveling just over 80 miles per hour in the northbound lanes on U.S. 35 at the southern edge of the city.

Quickly, a responding officer spotted the vehicle, which refused to stop until pulling over on Michigan Ave.

Pitts hit the gas pedal, though, but soon pulled over for good a short distance away close to Beechwood Court, police said.

Initially, police said he refused to roll down the driver’s side window but did after a few minutes of loud verbal commands by the officer.

Police said there was an empty can of beer in the center console of the vehicle. His alleged blood alcohol level was greater than .15 percent, according to court documents.

(La Porte, IN) - A man could face time in prison for allegedly selling fentanyl at a La Porte park.

Isaiah Harris, 27, of Michigan City is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with dealing in cocaine or a narcotic drug, a Level 3 felony.

According to court documents, Harris is alleged to have sold 12 pills containing fentanyl for $250 at Charles Lindewald Park.

Police said the transaction in the parking lot occurred in March of 2024.

The felony charge was upgraded because the buy happened during the late morning hours when there’s a chance of children using the park in a residential area at Park and Cherry streets, according to authorities.

Harris could face anywhere from a 3 to 16 year sentence. He was taken into custody about six weeks after a warrant had been issued for his arrest, according to court records.

Harris was being held on $25,000 bond.

(La Porte County, IN) - The immediate area is being recognized as one of the best places to live nationwide in terms of dollars and cents.

The La Porte and Michigan City area made the Top 10 most affordable places in live published by The Bottom Line magazine, a source of news related to health, lifestyle and financial matters.

“That’s a national publication.  Really cool," said Jessica Bruder Spoljaric, the city’s Director of Communications.

Specifically, the magazine said the La Porte/Michigan City area is a “place where residents can enjoy good quality of life without breaking the bank.” The magazine also cited the “small town” feel here and close proximity to Chicago along with the average home price at $238,000.

The publication listed the La Porte/Michigan City metro area as the 10^th most affordable place to live while Ames, Iowa was ranked No. 1.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man is out on bond after allegedly caught recently using a drone to try and smuggle drugs and other contraband like tobacco into the prison in Westville.

Zamale Davis, 30, of South Bend is charged in LaPorte Superior Court 2 with two counts of Level 5 felony trafficking with an inmate. During his initial court hearing Tuesday, Judge Richard Stalbrink, Jr. granted a request to reduce his bail from $15,000 to $1,500.

According to court records, Davis after the hearing was released from the LaPorte County jail after posting bond.

On April 3, an official with the Indiana Department of Correction and multiple police agencies responded to a drone detective system.at Westville Correctional Facility. The system alerted to the presence of a drone in the air space around the prison.

Authorities soon went inside a nearby building along U.S. 421 with a tracking dog and a man alleged to be Davis was spotted running along the edge of the property, according to court documents.

Despite commands to stop, Davis kept running even after warned about the dog and his potential to bite, authorities said. He stopped, though, when informed the dog had been released to chase him down.

A duffle bag containing the drone, remote control along with multiple bags of contraband were among the items found during a search of the building, according to court documents.

Authorities said the contraband included nearly two pounds of marijuana, about one pound of tobacco and over 1,300 rolling papers. Also allegedly seized were seven cell phones, four chargers, five vape pens and 11 lighters, which are also prohibited from being in the prison.

According to court documents, Davis is also suspected in a drone drug trafficking incident at the prison on March 2.  That’s because Davis during his arrest last week was recognized by Warden Jason Smiley from the previous drone related response and the drugs seized were in the same type of bags that somehow found their way into the prison last month.

Under conditions of his bond, Davis will be placed on a GPS monitor allowing for his whereabouts to be tracked around the clock.  The next hearing in the case was scheduled for May 23.

(La Porte, IN) - People can start hunting for Easter eggs now at a La Porte store where every hidden plastic egg has something special inside.

There are also a limited number of golden eggs containing a coupon for a free Power XL smokeless grill valued at $119.99.

People can go inside Kablein Ace Hardware at 512 Andrew Ave. on the city’s west side to hunt for eggs during regular store hours through April 19.

The hunt began on April 3. 

Store Manager Michelle McFrederick said a child recently found a golden egg that he gave to his mother, but there are still two remaining hidden in the store.

“They were extremely happy,” she said.

The other eggs contain candy or a coupon for a free less expensive store item such as a tape measure or child’s toy.

Except for the golden eggs, all of the other eggs are replaced when found so there’s always anywhere from 20 to 30 eggs hidden in the store.

“That way, everybody has a fair shot at them,” she said.

McFrederick said there is no limit on the number of eggs each child or adult can find but only one golden egg is allowed per customer.

“We have those hid pretty good, too, so it’s going to make them look and shop around and see if they can find that golden egg,” she said.

(Indianapolis, IN) - The first case of measles has been confirmed in Indiana.

According to the Indiana Department of Health, the person infected is an unvaccinated child in Allen County.

IDH officials said they’re currently trying to identify if any other measles cases have turned up in that part of the state.

Measles is highly contagious and airborne but, so far, the risk to the general public is considered low. Common symptoms include rash, fever and cough.

As of early April, there have been more than 600 confirmed cases of measles this year in the U.S.

Medical experts say measles can lead to serious illness and even death especially in young children. 

(La Porte County, IN) - Middle school aged children locally and statewide can scratch any itch they might have to learn more about law enforcement as a possible career.

The Indiana Sheriffs’ Association is hosting its 45^th Annual Youth Leadership Camps this year.

The first session, serving the southern part of the state, will be held June 16 - 18 at the Indiana FFA Leadership Camp in Trafalgar (Johnson County). 

The second session, serving the northern part of the state, will be held June 23 - 25 at Pine Creek Camp in Pine Village (Warren County).   

The ISA Youth Leadership Camps are a program for boys and girls currently in the 7^th or 8^th grade of school interested in learning more about a possible career in law enforcement. 

The camps are staffed by deputies who serve as counselors and instructors.

Any boy or girl locally interested in attending a camp should contact the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office, a school resource officer, or a school counselor for an application.

For further information, contact La Porte County Sheriff’s Office Administrative Captain Derek J. Allen (dallen@lcso.in.gov) or Lauren Hess (lhess@indianasheriffs.org), Program Administrator for the ISA.

(Michigan City, IN) - An arrest has been made for the near fatal shooting of a man more two years ago in Michigan City.

Leon Chandler, 33, is charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with Level 1 felony attempted murder and other counts.

In August of 2022, authorities said he shot a man who was walking in the area of Village Road and Crestwood Drive on the city’s south side.  Chandler was in a vehicle that approached the victim in reverse before he allegedly fired several rounds.

The victim shot in the back from a bullet that left out of his chest managed to walk back home where he was found and spoke to investigators.

A warrant was issued for Chandler’s arrest a few weeks later, but he apparently fled the area judging from his most recent address being from St. Paul, Minnesota, according to court records. 

Chandler arrested four days ago was being held in the La Porte County Jail on $100,000 bond.

For some undisclosed reason, the investigation shows there were threats to shoot and kill the victim prior to him being gunned down. 

Police said the bullet barely missed the heart of the victim while passing through his upper torso.

(Westville, IN) - A second person has been arrested for allegedly using a drone to try and smuggle drugs and other contraband like tobacco into Westville Correctional Facility.

Authorities also suspect Zamale Davis succeeded on at least one previous attempt at the prison.

Davis, 30, of South Bend is charged in La Porte Superior Court 2 with two counts of Level 5 felony trafficking with an inmate.

According to court documents, an official with the Indiana Department of Correction and multiple police agencies on the night of April 3 responded to the prison’s drone detective system.  The system alerted to the presence of a drone in the air space around the prison.

Authorities soon went inside a nearby building along U.S. 421 with a tracking dog and a man later identified as Davis was spotted running along the edge of the property, according to court documents.

Despite commands to stop, Davis kept running even after warned about the dog and his potential to bite. He stopped, though, when informed the dog had been released to chase him down, authorities said. 

A duffle bag containing the drone, remote control along with multiple bags of contraband were among the items found during a search of the building, according to court documents.

Authorities said the contraband included nearly two pounds of marijuana, about one pound of tobacco and over 1,300 rolling papers. Also allegedly seized were seven cell phones, four chargers, five vape pens and 11 lighters, which are also prohibited from being in the prison.

According to court documents, Davis is suspected in a drone drug trafficking incident at the prison on March 2.

That’s because Davis while arrested was recognized by Warden Jason Smiley from the previous drone related response and the drugs seized were in the same type bags that somehow found their way into the prison last month.

Davis was being held in the LaPorte County Jail on $15,000 bond.

On March 21, Eric Patino was allegedly caught in a failed attempt to get methamphetamine and other drugs inside the prison through the use of a drone.

A drone detected in the prison’s airspace was soon witnessed hovering above the responding authorities and flying toward where it was launched.

The 29 year old Hammond man quickly emerged from some nearby brush and was chased on foot until he was soon captured, police said.

Authorities walking toward where Patino was first spotted discovered the drone along with large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, tobacco and suboxone, according to court documents.

LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said the use of drones to get contraband into the hands of offenders appears to be a “disturbing trend” and one he believes will continue.

“You never underestimate people and what they can think of and how to use things.  It’s a game of cat and mouse,” he said.

(Michigan City, IN) - The Washington Park Zoo is mourning the loss of one of its most beloved residents. 

Stripes, a 20-year-old Bengal tiger captivating visitors since his arrival two decades ago, was euthanized due to age-related health issues.

According to zoo officials, Stripes had been successfully receiving veterinary care pain management and medication for kidney disease and arthritis, but he recently had shown a rapid deterioration in his health.

With his appetite and activity declining, the decision was made to euthanize before his quality of life worsened. Final pathology reports discovered he was suffering from kidney failure, lymphedema, and cancer, which is often found in older tigers, zoo officials said.

Stripes was one of the oldest Bengal tigers in the care of humans, according to zoo officials.  In the wild, the typical lifespan for a Bengal tiger is between 10 and 14 years.

According to zoo officials, Stripes arrived at the Washington Park Zoo in 2005 along with his brother, Stars, from a zoo in Iowa.  Stars passed away in 2023 due to complications from chronic kidney disease.

(La Porte, IN) - The City of La Porte announced today that world-famous pop star Jesse McCartney will headline this summer’s LakeFest.

According to Park Superintendent and LakeFest Committee Chair Mark Schreiber, the “Beautiful Soul” and “Leavin’” performer will play a free live show on Saturday, July 26, at the Dennis F. Smith Amphitheater in Fox Park.

McCartney will be preceded by the Midwest’s premiere cover band Y2K, as well as a fireworks show over Clear Lake.

McCartney’s career has included three Top 15 albums in the Billboard Top 200, with his most recognizable single “Leavin” cracking the Top 10 list of Billboard’s Hot 100.

A sought-after songwriter, the artist also wrote the four-time GRAMMY nominated “Bleeding Love” for Leona Lewis.

Schreiber said the planning committee is excited to be switching things up with a new genre for the festival’s fifth anniversary concert.

"We are always looking for artists who can not only provide an amazing experience for concertgoers but also draw new audiences to LakeFest and our community. This lineup of music promises to deliver a memorable night of entertainment,” Schreiber said.

While there isn’t a bad seat in the park, Schreiber said a limited number of Premium Front Stage Passes will be available for sale for individuals looking to get a little closer to the action.

Passes will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, April 11, at laportelakefest.com. The concert begins at 6:30 p.m.

For more information on other LakeFest attractions, visit laportelakefest.com.

(La Porte County, IN) - It appears a La Porte County church was damaged by mud and gravel thrown from the spinning tires of a vehicle doing burnouts.

Sauktown Church of Christ in Mill Creek was left with holes of various shapes and sizes in the siding of an outside wall and a damaged outside window, according to La Porte County Police.

The same wall was also left covered in mud.

Pastor Greg Jaggers told investigators he was awakened early Saturday by the sound of a vehicle doing burnouts. Several hours later, he was washing the mud off the wall when he discovered the holes in the siding.

Police said there were circular tire marks on the pavement at 150 North and 875 East, which is just a short distance from the church and ruts in the nearby church parking lot.

So far, no suspects have been identified, police said.

(Michigan City, IN) - A recent traffic stop in Michigan City resulted in the arrest of the driver on drug dealing allegations.

The drugs seized included large amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms, authorities said.

Police said Joshua Bracken, 40, was pulled over last week after an officer at Franklin St. and E. Barker Ave. noticed his vehicle was missing a license plate. A computer check also revealed the Michigan City man had a warrant out for his arrest, police said.

With help from a drug sniffing dog, the narcotics along with more than $1,000 in cash were found in the vehicle.

The most serious of the several counts filed against him, Level 2 felony dealing in methamphetamine,  could result in a maximum 30 year sentence.

(Berrien County, MI) - Alcohol is believed a factor in a man being critically injured in a single vehicle crash in Berrien County, Michigan over the weekend.

Police said the 44 year old man was speeding when he failed to negotiate a curve and struck a tree early Saturday on Glendora Road between Buchanan and Berrien Springs.

His injuries to the neck and head were described by police as life threatening. He was not responding but had a pulse at the crash site.

The driver was identified as Dennis Bogdanich from Bunker Hill, Indiana which is in the north central part of the state.  Police said he was not wearing a seat belt.

A blood alcohol level was not released.

(Michigan City, IN) - A man is dead following a police shooting in Michigan City Friday evening.

The Indiana State Police, who are now investigating, issued a statement on the incident. They say at about 5:30 p.m. a Michigan City police officer conducted a traffic stop on a red Dodge SUV in the 5800 block of South Franklin Street.

According to police, an armed male fled from the scene on foot. One of the officers giving chase discharged a firearm, striking the suspect, who was immediately rendered first aid, then transported to Franciscan Health Hospital in Michigan City where he was pronounced dead.

On Saturday, after notifying family, State Police revealed the deceased suspect's identity: Jorge Meza (21) of South Bend. An autopsy through the La Porte County Coroner's Office is scheduled for Sunday, April 6.

State Police detectives will continue to review all body camera and in-car videos and turn evidence over to the La Porte County Prosecutor for review.
 

Michigan City Police Chief Marty Corley has placed the officer involved in the incident on paid administrative leave, in accordance with department policy, while the State Police investigation is being conducted. Corley said the identity of the officer will be released once all interviews have been completed.

Following the incident, Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch issued the following statement:

“This is a deeply serious matter, and my thoughts are with everyone affected. This is the first officer-involved shooting to occur under my administration. To ensure a thorough and impartial investigation, the incident has been turned over to the Indiana State Police. We have full confidence in their ability to carry out a comprehensive and transparent review.”

“As this remains an active investigation, we are limited in the details we can share at this time. I ask for the community’s patience as the facts are gathered. We are committed to sharing verified information as it becomes available and to upholding the trust of our residents throughout this process.”

(La Porte County, IN) - Local law enforcement agencies will take part in a nationwide blitz on speeding and distracting driver that begins Saturday.

Michigan City Police announced today the department will join La Porte Police and the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office in the crackdown running through April 19.

According to statistics, distracted driving and speeding caused over 17,000 thousand crashes that resulted in 230 deaths statewide in 2024.

“Distracted driving isn’t just risky, it’s deadly,” said James Bryan, Traffic Safety Director for the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

“Taking your eyes off the road for even just a few seconds can change a life forever. No text, call, or notification is worth the cost of a crash,” he said.  

The campaign featuring officers working overtime to boost patrols is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with grants awarded by the ICJI.

Police said drivers can prioritize safe driving by keeping their hands on the wheel, their eyes on the road, and their focus on driving.  In 2020, Indiana adopted a law prohibiting holding or using a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet.

Since then, law enforcement agencies have worked to educate motorists, issuing 7,684 hands-free citations and 11,203 warnings in 2024 alone.

Violating the law is a Class C infraction, which carries a fine of up to $500 and results in points being added to an individual’s driver’s license, authorities said. 

(Berrien County, MI) - A pedestrian was fatally struck this morning on Interstate 94 in southwest Michigan.

According to the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, first responders were dispatched just after 6 a.m. about a man walking on the interstate at the 42 mile marker.

One witness described the man as “dancing on the roadway” before he was struck by a westbound vehicle.

Police said the 50 year old victim from Coloma will undergo an autopsy and toxicology screening to determine if he was under the influence of any foreign substances.

The 52 year old driver of the vehicle was not injured and not believed to have been impaired, police said.

(Michigan City, IN) - A man and woman are being held in the LaPorte County Jail in connection with multiple bone fractures and other serious injuries on their seven week old daughter.

Kyle Hollihan, 26, and Kaitlyn Weissert, 23, are each charged in LaPorte Superior Court 1 with domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury and neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, both Level 3 felonies.

Hollihan is also facing the two counts of the same charges as Level 5 felonies. They were each being held on $25,000 bond following their arrests on Wednesday.

According to court documents, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office on February 3 was called to Franciscan Health about a seven week old girl in the emergency room.

Her injuries included fractures to her left arm, left leg, ribs and blood on her brain. She also had a possible fracture to her right farm and blood possibly behind the inner lining of her bruised abdominal cavity, according to court documents.

She was transferred to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis for more specialized care. Doctors advised the girl is expected to make a full recovery but develop at a slower rate traditionally for infants due to the injuries, police said.

According to court documents, doctors ruled the injuries did not result from an accident and occurred on multiple days judging by their various stages of healing.

It was also the opinion of doctors the fractures in her lower left leg were from a “violent twist,” citing the force required to cause bones to break in that area of such a young child, according to court documents.

Police said the infant wound up in the hospital after her grandmother while caring for her discovered swelling to the leg discovered later as fractured. The exact cause of the injuries is not unclear but remains under investigation.

According to court documents, both parents offered a variety of explanations, that included placing blame on Hollihan’s seven year son, but each one was deemed unreasonable and ruled out by investigators.

Police said there is some indication, though, the injuries could have stemmed from domestic violence in the couple’s home just days prior to their discovery.

They could face anywhere from a 3 to 16 year sentence on each of the Level 3 felony counts. The lower level felony charges against Hollihan have a one to six year sentencing range.

(Michigan City, IN) - The number of murders and shootings in Michigan City have gone down noticeably over the past five years.

Police Department statistics show the number of murders have dropped from 8 in 2020 to 3 last year.  There were five murders in 2021 and 2023 and four murders in 2022.

According to the statistics, there were 9 non-fatal shootings in 2024 compared to 22 the previous year.  There were 24 non-fatal shootings in 2020 and 2022 and 19 in 2021.

The number of shots fired complaints went down last year by nearly 17 percent from 502 in 2023 to 417 last year. 

Police Chief Marty Corley credited enhanced efforts in areas like community policing and specialized units formed at the police department for the reductions.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man is facing charges related to his alleged high volume remarks to a judge that included courtroom profanity.

Dion Williams, 28, was held in contempt of court and charged with resisting law enforcement along with disorderly conduct.

According to court documents, Williams appeared before La Porte Superior Court 3 Judge Jeffrey Thorne on March 25 on a still undecided charge of operating while intoxicated filed last year.

One of the stipulations of his bond is to have a device that measures for any alcohol consumption at home since one of the terms of his release is not to consume alcohol.

The judge asked him to show up for his next hearing with proof that he obtained the device. In response, among the things Williams stated was the judge has issues and is treating him like his “significant other,” authorities said. 

He was ordered back in front of the judge and told to leave or risk being held in contempt of court. However, Williams becoming defiant started yelling at the judge and cussing, which resulted in him struggling with courthouse security officers trying to place him in handcuffs, court documents revealed. 

He had just been escorted in handcuffs out of the courtroom when he tried going back inside against the resistance from security officers, who managed to get him to the county jail several hundred feet away with help from sheriff’s deputies, authorities said. 

(Michigan City, IN) - The annual spring clean-up begins Monday in Michigan City.

Residents are asked to place their unwanted items along the curb on the Sunday of the week they’re scheduled for pick-up.

According to the mayor’s office, the boundaries for the first pick-up during the week of April 7 are U.S. 12 to the north; Earl Road to the west; Coolspring Ave. to the south and Franklin St. to the east.

Three more pick-up weeks will follow. Anyone with questions can reach the city at (219) 873-1530.

(Indianapolis, IN) - Due to severe storms recently across the state, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is alerting Hoosiers to stay vigilant against storm-related scams.

As communities deal with storm damage, Rokita said scammers are poised to exploit the situation, targeting residents with fraudulent repair offers and deceptive schemes. 

“Storms can be unpredictable and devastating, but the aftermath can be even worse, potentially leaving you vulnerable to financial ruin. Our office stands ready to assist Hoosiers and hold scammers accountable. Together, we can work to prevent fraudsters from derailing recovery efforts,” he said.  

Unfortunately, Rokita said storms often bring out unscrupulous individuals who prey on homeowners by promising quick fixes, only to disappear with down payments or deliver inferior work.

He issued the following tips to avoid falling victim to storm-chasing scammers: 

Be skeptical of anyone offering immediate cleanup or repair services without proper vetting. 

• Know the facts: FEMA does not charge application fees. If someone demands payment to help you access FEMA funds, it’s likely a scam. 
• Research contractors: Check reputations through references, online reviews, or the Better Business Bureau before hiring. 
• Verify credentials: Ask for IDs, licenses, and proof that the contractor is bonded and insured. 
• Get multiple estimates: Compare offers to ensure fair pricing and scope of work. 
• Insist on written agreements: Don’t trust verbal promises. Get everything in writing. 
• Avoid risky payments: Never pay with wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or cash, and never pay the full amount upfront. 

If people suspect a scam, Rokita encourages residents to file a complaint at indianaconsumer.com or call his office at 1-800-382-5516.

The Consumer Protection Division is dedicated to safeguarding Hoosiers from fraudulent schemes year-round. 

(La Porte, IN) - The La Porte Community School Corporation is announcing open enrollment opportunities for the 2025-2026 school year.

Families inside and outside district boundaries are invited to apply.

"We're excited to welcome new students and families to our educational community," said La Porte Schools Superintendent Dr. Sandra Wood. "Our district provides a wide range of educational programs from early childhood to high school graduation, aimed at preparing students for success in a constantly evolving world."

According to school officials, the school corporation offers numerous educational advantages:

• New Early Childhood Center: Offering preschool curriculum and childcare services to support our youngest learners and their families
• Diverse Programming: Comprehensive educational pathways from early childhood through high school graduation
• La Porte Online School: Fully online classroom option with high-quality instruction and participation in school extracurricular opportunities
• STEM Focus: Project Lead The Way programs in every building, providing hands-on STEM learning experiences
• Robust Extracurricular Activities: Wide variety of clubs and activities to engage students' interests beyond academics
• College and Career Readiness: Ability to accommodate new Indiana diploma requirements with extensive dual credit course offerings and Career and Technical Education pathways, including the new Civic Arts and Criminal Justice pathways

Families interested in enrolling their children should complete the Open Enrollment/Intra-District Transfer Request form for each student on the district website. This form applies to:

• Students transferring to LPCSC from another school district
• Current LPCSC elementary students wishing to attend a K-4 elementary school outside their assigned residence area

For more information, visit the district website at www.lpcsc.k12.in.us or contact the Superintendent's Office at (219) 362-7056.

(La Porte County, IN) - Authorities have identified the victim of a fatal collision on U.S. 20 between a passenger vehicle and semi-truck this morning near Rolling Prairie.

Cary Canary, 44, of La Porte was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office.

Police said the investigation reveals Canary about 4:30 a.m. was operating a 2016 Kia southbound on 300 East and failed to stop for a stop sign. As a result, sshe wound up in the path of a 2016 Freightliner semi westbound on U.S. 20.

Canary’s vehicle then burst into flames.  Police said Deputy Shane Landry and a bystander attempted to remove Canary, who was trapped in the vehicle, but were unsuccessful.

Investigators are waiting for the results of a toxicology test to determine if the use of alcohol or drugs were involved, police said.

(La Porte County, IN) - A lightning strike might be to blame for a house fire in La Porte County.

According to La Porte County Police, multiple fire departments responded after 6 a.m. Tuesday to an area along U.S. 6 near County Road 750 East.

Emily Tarnow told investigators she and her four children were home while her husband, Nick, was at work when she saw a bright flash of light and heard a loud boom outside the two story residence, police said.

She then began to smell smoke that appeared to be coming from the basement. Tarnow said she and the children made it safely out of the home before she called 911, according to police.

Upon arrival, police said there was smoke coming from the roof but no visible flames at the time.  Police said the house sustained only smoke damage.

(La Porte County, IN) - A stretch of U.S. 20 in La Porte County is open after shutdown this morning due to a fatal motor vehicle crash.

The accident occurring about 5 a.m. near 300 East involved a semi-truck and passenger vehicle.

U.S. 20 was closed in both directions from Indiana 39 to the intersection with Indiana 2 east of Rolling Prairie to allow for a cleanup and investigation of the crash scene. 

La Porte County Coroner Lynn Swanson said one person died in the collision. We’ll provide further details when made available by local authorities.

(Michigan City, IN) - A home for up to 20 male La Porte County offenders to help them recover from substance abuse is proposed in Michigan City.

The projected $3.1 million facility would be constructed on the city’s northwest side in the area of the former St. Anthony Hospital.

The city council last night heard from Micki Webb, who’s involved with the effort through the La Porte County Drug Free Partnership, a not-for-profit organization.

She said the respite home would be for La Porte County residents only with referrals from the courts and other local sources involved in the criminal justice system.

Webb said close to $1 million of in-kind donations have been collected already to help pay for cost of construction while funding like state and federal grants would go toward operating expenses. She said there’s also a cost savings aspect for taxpayers considering the cost of housing each offender in the La Porte County Jail is over $17,000 annually.

Webb said the need here is great.

“Unfortunately, La Porte County does not have any recovery residences. Porter County and St. Joseph County have several,” she said.

She said residents of the recovery home would stay for up to two years while receiving additional case management and other help like job training to assist in their recoveries and becoming productive citizens.

Webb said such facilities assist in recovering from drug and alcohol abuse because offenders once released from jail are not returning to their original environments where temptation could still exist.

She said the home would be run through the Indiana Department of Mental Health.

Webb said a funding request for an undisclosed amount from the city council will be made at a later time, but the La Porte County Council has already pledged $750,000 toward the facility.

“In putting these pieces together, we’re trying to make it happen,” she said.

(La Porte, IN) - A second man is now in custody in connection with close to $2,000 in cash taken during a robbery at gunpoint in La Porte last year.

Police say a heart shaped tattoo on Lucas Connor, Jr., of South Bend, helped identify him as the other person directly involved in the heist.

The other suspect, Xavier Cooper, 23, of Elkhart was arraigned on the allegations last month in La Porte Circuit Court.

According to court documents, both men stormed inside Advance America in the 1100 block of W. Indiana 2 in March of 2024 and jumped over the counter. Guns were held to a female worker manning the register at the short term cash loan company.  She retrieved the money from two different locations as ordered by the suspects wearing masks and gloves, police said.

The men fled in a vehicle located abandoned and still running in an alley a short distance away on L St.

Investigators were led several months later to a third man currently facing homicide charges in Allen County, who said he picked up the suspects right after the robbery and drove them to South Bend, court records disclosed.

The man was shown a picture of Connor posted on Facebook and he recognized him by heart shaped tattoo on his neck.  He knew him only by his nickname, “Lul Glow,” police said.

Police said the Facebook photo of “Lul Glow” was later entered into a facial recognition program through the Indiana Department of Motor Vehicles, which identified the image as Connor.

Connor was taken into custody in late March about six weeks after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Police went inside the home of a woman last night and arrested a male intruder.

According to police, a Westville area woman just before 9 p.m. pulled up to see a man inside her residence at the picture window.

She left and was parked a few blocks away while officers went inside and grabbed the intruder, who had put on a sweater belonging to the woman.

Jaden Salzer, 21, of Westville was taken to the La Porte County Jail where he was being held on a preliminary charge of Level 6 felony residential entry.

Salzer told officers he entered the home through an unlocked door, according to police. 

Police said the man made some very unusual statements and was the same man who had been going onto other residential properties in the same area earlier in the day.

(Michigan City, IN) - Charges have resulted from a woman landing in the hospital after hit on the head with a bottle.

Kabrya Eckwood, 29, of Michigan City is charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with Level 5 felony battery.

According to police, the victim was attacked in late February after pulling up to the home of her boyfriend on Kentucky St.  She said Eckwood came from out of nowhere and struck her on the head with a bottle then started pulling her hair out, according to police.

The victim reported she also blacked out.

Upon arrival, police said the victim was found in her vehicle with her face covered in blood and complaining of severe pain to her head.

According to police, the victim, who was taken by ambulance, described Eckwood as her boyfriend’s “baby mama.” Eckwood could face anywhere from a one to six year sentence.

(Fish Lake, IN) - The clean-up from the storm on Sunday is ongoing in Fish Lake.

La Porte County Commissioner Steve Holifield, a farmer in nearby Mill Creek, said there were dozens of fallen trees along with utility poles down. There were also homes that had their roofs blown off.

Holifield said there were still some roads closed Tuesday from the storm damage in the community.

“I went Monday morning to try and take a load of straw to Rochester and I couldn’t get through Fish Lake because there was a telephone pole down blocking State Road 4,” he said.

Holifield said the damage in the community was being surveyed to determine if it was enough to qualify for funding to help in the recovery.

According to NIPSCO, there were still 90 customers without power this morning in the Walkerton/Fish Lake service area.

There were also more than 600 NIPSCO customers in the utility company’s Michigan City service territory still without power this morning along with just under 40 remaining outages in the La Porte area.

90 remaining outages were reported by NIPSCO in the Westville area.

(La Porte County, IN) - More than 700 NIPSCO customers in the utility companies Michigan City service area remained without power this afternoon following Sunday’s storm.

According to NIPSCO, the estimated restoration time for most of those customers is not until late Wednesday night.

There were about 80 customers still without power this afternoon in the utility company’s La Porte service territory. NIPSCO estimated power for those customers should be restored by 7 o’clock tonight.

According to Indiana Michigan Power Company, there were still slightly more than 100 customers still without service in the Springville customer service area while outages remained for nearly 40 customers in the Hudson Lake area.

No estimate was given on when service for those customers will be restored.

(Michigan City, IN) - Four children were practically abandoned in a home with no heat, forcing them to wear layers of clothing underneath blankets and in filthy conditions.

Those are the allegations drawn in the four counts of Level 5 felony neglect of a dependent filed in La Porte Superior Court 1 against Ashley McComas, 40, of Michigan City.

According to court documents, a late January welfare check at Tall Timbers Apartments on the city’s east side revealed the temperature inside the home was 45 degrees in nearly subzero conditions outside.

The fan on the furnace was running but the air blowing out was not heated.  According to police, the oldest child said they had been without heat “for a while.”

There was also cold air coming into the home from a back door that contained no window pane.  The back door could not be reached because of the amount of garbage and various other items on the floor, police said. 

Court documents also revealed bags of garbage and trash along with feces were on the floor in other areas of the apartment and no toilet paper was in either one of the two bathrooms.

Police said the kitchen sink had garbage, dishes and stagnant water in it.

The refrigerator contained just a head of lettuce and a moldy onion while there was nothing inside the freezer except for mold, according to court documents.

Police said there were also no mattresses inside most of the children’s bed frames.

The investigation alleges McComas left the children alone for months to be with a man living nearby except when she returned home about once a day to check on them.  During that period, she also received an eviction notice ordering them out of the residence by February 3.

During the welfare check, McComas was found where she had been staying and blamed her children for the conditions inside the home, police said.

The children were soon placed into the care of grandmother who previously had custody of the kids, according to court documents.  McComas could face anywhere from a one to six year sentence on each count.

(La Porte, IN) - A woman is charged with child neglect for driving recklessly through downtown La Porte with a loaded gun within reach of a young unrestrained child in the front passenger seat.

Those are the allegations filed in La Porte Circuit Court against Sabrina Piunti, 32, of Valparaiso. Currently, the former La Porte area woman is being held on $15,000 bond.

According to court documents, La Porte Police on Saturday received a report of a reckless driver being followed by the person making the complaint who gave updated locations of the vehicle eastbound on Lincolnway.

A responding officer located the vehicle and witnessed it run a red light at Tyler St then stopped the driver.

Police said a .22 caliber loaded firearm was located at the feet of a three year old girl unrestrained in the front passenger seat. The gun was also within reaching distance of the child.

According to court documents, the gun was confiscated after police learned Piunti has prior felony convictions, which made it against the law for her to have a firearm under state law.

Piunti is charged with Level 6 felony neglect of a dependent and Level 5 felony unlawful carrying of a handgun. Her prior criminal history includes past lower level felony convictions for operating while intoxicated and battery, according to court records.

(Starke County/Marshall County, IN) - The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado touchdown in Starke and Marshall counties during the storm on Sunday.

According to the NWS, the tornado produced winds of up to 110 miles per hour during the six minutes it was on the ground in those two counties. 

Officials said one person was injured when a mobile home overturned and four barns were destroyed. Fortunately, no deaths or major injuries were reported.

(Starke County, IN) - Authorities in Starke County are still investigating a fatal crash between a motorcycle and passenger vehicle.

The crash happened about 8 a.m. on Friday at 800 East and 50 South near Knox.

According to the Starke County Sheriff’s Office, a northbound Dodge Durango entered the intersection and was struck by the eastbound motorcycle.

The motorcyclist, Derrick Shepherd, 20, of Knox was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver, 75 year old Linda Caudill of North Judson was taken by ambulance with undisclosed injuries, police said.

Further details have not been provided. Police said the chain of events leading up to the crash remain under investigation.