(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte’s public school board and a few area school board members have been recognized for professional development.

The Indiana School Boards Association recently bestowed an Exemplary Governance Award to the La Porte Community School Corporation Board of School Trustees. They’re one of 124 school boards in Indiana to earn such recognition, which marks points earned by school board members for attending ISBA seminars, workshops, conferences, and other learning events.

There are four levels of recognition, from “Commendable” to “Exemplary.” La Porte attained Level 1 “Commendable” status.

Individually, board member Jennifer Farlie earned Level 1 recognition, along with other area school board members: Deb Allen of South Central and Jenilee Haynes Peterson of Michigan City. La Porte board member Ryan Seaburg achieved Level 2 status.

(Indianapolis, IN) - Attorney General Todd Rokita says his office has saved Indiana taxpayers millions of dollars by fending off frivolous lawsuits.

In a recent statement, the AG’s Office said part of their job is to head off sometimes baseless and potentially unending litigation against the state.

One example cited is the family of a suspect killed in a shootout with police. Even though the suspect pulled a gun, the family sued for damages. Rokita says his office was able to vindicate the police and save taxpayers $300,000.

According to Rokita, his office has saved $12 million in such situations this year alone, and over $125 million since he took office.

(New Buffalo, MI) - There was a drowning in downtown New Buffalo Saturday evening.

According to the New Buffalo Police Department, they received a report at about 8:30 p.m. local time of a young man who had jumped off the N. Whittaker Street Bridge over the Galien River.

Witnesses said 20-year-old Tucker Vaughn of Niles, Michigan went under the water and did not resurface.

A Berrien County Dive Team recovered his body, which was turned over to the Medical Examiner’s office for further investigation. Over a dozen local first response agencies assisted in the extensive search.
 

“The New Buffalo City Police Department would like to thank all the assisting agencies and the bystanders that assisted in this tragic situation,” they said in a statement issued Sunday night.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends and loved ones of Tucker Vaughn.”

(La Porte County, IN) - A Michigan woman died in a single-vehicle crash on a La Porte County Road Sunday morning.

Just after 11:00 a.m. first responders arrived at the intersection of CR 800 South and CR 900 West regarding a crash involving a green 2001 Ford Ranger.

According to investigators, 31-year-old Rebecca L. Kuiper of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was traveling eastbound on CR 800 South.  Her truck left the roadway west of CR 900 West onto the gravel shoulder.  Kuiper apparently overcorrected, causing it to begin sliding sideways in the roadway.  At the intersection, the pickup rolled several times, coming to rest in a field. 

Police say Kuiper was ejected from the pickup truck during the crash.  She was transported by ambulance to an area hospital, where she later died from her injuries.

Toxicology test results are pending.

(La Porte County, IN) - Two women are in prison, and criminal charges have been brought related to the incident that claimed the life of an infant in La Porte County.

On Friday afternoon a fiery car crash occurred just southwest of Michigan City. Trapped in the car was an infant, who perished in the blaze. The La Porte County Sheriff’s Department has released more details on what transpired.

In what they are calling “a back-and-forth road rage incident,” two vehicles, a 2009 Nissan Rogue and a 2008 Jeep Liberty, were travelling westbound on CR 400 North approaching County Line Road when the Nissan veered over the center line and collided with several trees on the south side of the roadway.

As the vehicle caught fire, authorities say the driver, 29-year-old Deondra L. Moore (pictured, left), along with a 10-year-old boy and a 10-month-old girl, were able to escape the wreckage. 10-month-old Khleja’nae L. Sims was still in the car. By the time first responders arrived, they were unable to save her.

The Jeep’s driver, 26-year-old Felisha A. Stout (pictured, right), initially fled the scene, returning several minutes later, police say.

Moore was transported to an area hospital for treatment, and both women were later taken to La Porte County Jail.

Stout, of Westville, has been charged with leaving the scene of a fatality crash, a Level 4 Felony. She is being held on a $20,005 cash-only bond through Superior Court I. 

Moore, who is from Ft. Wayne, is facing a Level 5 Felony charge of Reckless Homicide and is being held on a $15,005 cash-only bond, also through Superior Court I. 

 “The circumstances of this crash are unequivocally inexcusable,” said LPSCO Administrative Captain Derek J. Allen.

“The arrestees are being held accountable for their actions and for the death of a defenseless Khleja’nae. Thank you to the agencies who provided assistance at the scene and those continuing to assist with the investigation,” he added. 

(La Porte County, IN) - There was a fatal vehicle crash just southwest of Michigan City Friday afternoon.

It happened just after 1 p.m. in the 11500 west block of CR 400 North, just east of County Line Road. A portion of 400 was closed for several hours with many units from multiple agencies responding.

Here’s what we know from the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office:

• Deputies were advised that a vehicle was engulfed in flames and a child was inside. 
• Upon arrival, they were unable to safely approach the vehicle due to the intense flames.  The fire was extinguished several minutes later by fire personnel.  A 10-month old infant perished in the blaze.
• Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division were contacted and responded to the scene.
• The circumstances of the crash, along with the identities of those involved, are being withheld due to the ongoing investigation.

HTNN is following the investigation and will post further details as they become available.

(Michigan City, IN) - The Michigan City Police Department is reminding the public that golf carts are not allowed to be operated on any public roadways.

Golf carts, they say, along with other off-road vehicles, such as ATVs and 4-Wheelers, are not equipped with the same safety features as automobiles. Serious injury can and will occur in the event of a collision between a golf cart and an automobile.

With the warm summer weather and the influx of out-of-towners, authorities have received several complaints of golf carts traveling on the public roadways in the lakefront corridor.

Police point to IC 9-21-8-57, the state law making it a Class C Infraction to operate a golf cart on public roadways, unless otherwise allowed by local ordinance. Michigan City has no such ordinance, police say.

It can be confusing. The key is “public roadways.” The Beachwalk section of Michigan City, for example, has some private roadways, where golf carts and ATVs are legal. Venture onto Lakeshore Drive, though, and you could get busted. So be aware of where you’re driving. Police say they’re paying closer attention to golf carts this summer.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor is also being held for federal immigration officers.

On June 24 at 12:40 a.m., La Porte County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a home in Johnson Township. That’s just west of Walkerton. The caller reported her friend had been sexually assaulted by a family member.

After interviewing a 12-year-old victim, police summoned 40-year-old Juan Francisco from a back bedroom and detained him. Detectives found probable cause to charge Francisco with two felony counts of child molestation.

Local authorities also contacted the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Regional Office regarding Francisco, who hails from Guatemala. He is being held in La Porte County Jail without bond awaiting contact with ICE officials and a July 25 Circuit Court date for his criminal charges.

(Indianapolis, IN) - The Indiana Department of Transportation is wrapping up a study of two major highway traffic corridors in northern Indiana.

This week planners released final reports for their ProPEL studies, which have been investigating way to improve conditions along US 30 and US 31. The studies span 180 miles across 12 counties and include US 30 from Valparaiso to the Ohio state line, excluding I-69 and I-469 around Fort Wayne, as well as US 31 between Hamilton County and Plymouth, excluding the Kokomo bypass.

A segment of the study focuses on travel along US 30 through La Porte County. Based on public input and further study, planners have made changes to plans in this area:

• In Wanatah, an overpass at LaPorte County Road 1100 West was replaced with a directional intersection, and Condon Street was changed from right-in/right-out to a directional intersection. In addition, dedicated median openings were added to allow U-turn movements. These changes improve access for emergency services and local connectivity.
• In West Plymouth, an overpass was replaced with an interchange at Union Road in one of the expressway alternatives. This change improves access for those traveling to Marian University’s Ancilla College and the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ Center at Donaldson complex.

“The ProPEL US 30 and 31 studies allowed us to engage with the public earlier in the planning process than a typical transportation project,” INDOT project manager Jonathan Wallace said. “INDOT scopes and funds projects five years into the future, so the first projects could be three to five years away. These studies were able to shape a vision for US 30 and 31 while providing important data to inform and streamline future efforts.”

You can follow this LINK to get more information on the US 30 ProPEL study findings.

(New Carlisle, IN) - St. Joseph County Sheriff’s officers located an alleged rapist in New Carlisle.

On Wednesday morning Warrants Division officers apprehended 27-year-old Corey Miller in the 55000 block of Timothy Road, just south of town.

Court records indicate that Miller was charged with Level 3 Felony Rape in Allen County last September. This week a warrant was issued for his arrest.

He was booked into the St. Joseph County Jail, where he is awaiting transport to Allen County.

(La Porte, IN) - This evening’s edition of the Arts in the Park summer concert series features visitors from our nation’s capital. The U.S. Army Field Band, known as the Jazz Ambassadors, will play tonight at Fox Park.

The 19-member, finely-dressed ensemble tours the country, indeed the world, playing everything from big band swing, bebop, and New Orleans jazz to traditional patriotic favorites.

Their concert starts at 7 p.m., with a pre-concert by Kyla Webb preceding at 6:30.  As usual, there will be other activites, including a poetry reading by Carnessa Carnes, art exhibit by Tanis Pawson, and facepainting with Joyful Creations. Concessions will be served by members of Bible study group The Wisdom Seekers, as well as food trucks operated by The Lunch Box and Digzy Dogz.

(Cincinnati, OH) - Last week, Kroger announced that it’s closing 60 stores nationwide. Two of those locations are in northern Indiana, but not in La Porte.

The company has confirmed that Kroger locations on Western Avenue in South Bend and in Elkhart are on the chopping block and are expected to close by early August.

The Cincinnati-based retailer operates over 2,700 locations. The closures represent about a 2% downsize. The news comes months after a failed merger with competitor Alberson’s.

(Gary, IN) - Five people are dead following a train crash last night in Gary.

It happened just after 10:00 Wednesday night at a South Shore crossing on Gary’s far east side.

An eastbound passenger train heading for Michigan City and South Bend collided with a vehicle in its path. According to police, witnesses said the car maneuvered around a downed crossing gate trying to beat the train.

Upon arrival, Gary first responders found five deceased victims on the scene who were ejected from the SUV.

None of the 32 passengers or crew members aboard the train were hurt.

The scene has been cleared, and South Shore’s schedule is back on track.

(Indianapolis, IN) - A Fourth of July cookout this year in Indiana will cost about five percent more than last year.

That’s according to Indiana Farm Bureau's annual summer cookout market basket report. The report shows Hoosiers are paying an average of $71.49 for a cookout feeding 10 people this summer.

"Inflation is slowing slightly, prices are leveling out and supply chain issues that have been prevalent for the last few years are slowly getting worked out, so we are seeing just a slight increase in prices compared to the last few years here in Indiana," said INFB Chief Economist Dr. Todd Davis.

The total estimate price for a cookout includes ground beef, cheese, hamburger buns, pork chops, chicken breasts, pork and beans, potato salad, strawberries, chips, ice cream, cookies, and lemonade, INFB said.

The two items that saw the largest increase in price were ice cream and strawberries, which are 31% and 19% higher in cost than last year.

Only ground beef and pork chops were more affordable in Indiana this year.

"When you're shopping, look for the bargains on the protein side," he said.

According to the USDA, just 16 cents of every retail food dollar spent goes back to farmers. The rest is for food processing, packaging, transportation, wholesale and retail distribution, and food service preparation.

(La Porte County, IN) - All that a cemetery maintenance man wants is for a litterbug to clean up the trash cans of garbage dumped on the grounds.

That’s according to La Porte County Police called yesterday afternoon to Sauktown Cemetery in Wills Township.

A man in charge of upkeep at the cemetery found two empty trash cans along with the garbage they once contained strewn on the north side of the property.

Police said the garbage included a large pile of peanuts, an unknown black mixture of some sort, a bag of seeds and lawn clippings.

It appears the garbage had been dumped at some point over the past three days, police said.

According to police, the caretaker told the officer he doesn’t want charges pursued if whoever’s responsible is determined.  His only wish was for the violator to clean up the mess.

(La Porte County, IN) - A suspected illegal alien is in the La Porte County Jail after caught driving without a license.

La Porte County Police said an officer clocked the man traveling 72 miles per hour last evening on U.S. 20 near Rolling Prairie.

According to police, the driver, Osvaldo Suarez Luna, admitted he came here illegally about a year ago and did not have a driver’s license.

Police said the man also told the officer he lives with a brother in Elkhart and was heading back there after working at a housing construction site.

He could face deportation.

Police say over 30 suspected illegals have been released from the county jail and into the custody of ICE, so far this year.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County government has put up some guardrails against any data centers that want to locate here.

A 12 member group has been appointed to try and steer data centers to the Kingsbury Industrial Park or any other industrial site.

La Porte County Commission President Connie Gramarossa says the idea is to prevent any battles from being waged from a data center wanting to go into a residential area.

She says the group will also work to negotiate the best financial deal possible for the county….since data centers are not major job creators and need considerable amounts of energy and water to operate.

Gramarossa said the aim is to strike a deal with very tax abatements or any other incentives to maximize the return for the county.

Members of the panel are:

• Karl Cender, County Government Financial Advisor
• County Councilman Jimmy Pressel
• La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody or his designee
• Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch or her designee
• County Planner Mitch Bishop
• Attorney Shaw Friedman, who's representing county government in a pending Data Centers case before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.
• County Information Technology Director Darlene Hale
• County MS4 Director Paul Vicari
• Michigan City City Councilman Dr. Vidya Kora
• La Porte City Councilman Tim Franke
• Operators' Union Representative John Watson
• Jim Mills, a representative of teh agricultural community

(South Bend, IN) - A Michigan City man is heading to a federal prison.

Davon Coleman, 21, was given a seven year sentence behind bars for having a stolen firearm.  Authorities say it was illegal for him to have a gun due to prior convictions for crimes such as robbery.

Coleman was found with the loaded gun during a traffic stop in Michigan City.

He must also serve three years on probation once released from prison under the sentencing order handed down at U.S. District Court in South Bend.

(La Porte County, IN) - Travel restrictions were imposed just a few minutes ago on U.S. 20 due to fallen power lines.

According to the La Porte County Police, deputies at around 1:30 p.m. were at the scene of power lines across the 4300 block of W. US 20 in Springfield Township.

The eastbound lanes are closed, for now, between U.S. 35 and Indiana 39.

Capt. Derek Allen said why the lines were down is not known, saying a deputy just happened to discover them already on the pavement.

No timeframe was given on when the lines will be cleared from the highway. 

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man remains behind bars after allegedly found by police near a playground naked from the waist down.

Jon Miller, 61, is facing charges that include public indecency.

On Friday, police said an officer on a complaint responded to the area of Stone Lake Beach in La Porte. 

He found Miller in the driver’s seat of a Pontiac convertible parked in front of the playground being used at the time by children, police said.

According to police, the officer noticed his pants were down and there was evidence of him “pleasuring himself.”  He was also allegedly found with a small amount crack cocaine.

Police said Miller admitted to smoking crack about an hour prior to the complaint.

(Michigan City, IN) - An ambulance was involved in a two vehicle collision in Michigan City yesterday afternoon.

According to the fire department, there were just minor injuries in the accident on U.S. 421.

So far, no information has been provided on how the accident occurred but the fire department revealed an SUV overturned after tangling with a privately owned ambulance.

The driver of the SUV was able to crawl out through a broken window. 

Fire officials also reported the ambulance was transporting a patient.

(Michigan City, IN) - Over 90 units are scheduled to be in this year’s Patriotic Parade on Saturday in Michigan City.

According to the city’s special events department, the parade themed "God Bless Our Troops" will begin at 11 a.m. on Franklin St. in the Uptown Arts and District and travel south until reaching Ames Field.

Ames Field is where the Braden Fiske, a Michigan City High School graduate and defense lineman for the Los Angeles Rams, will host a Family Fun Day beginning at 1 p.m.

The event will feature bounce houses and other fun things to do for children along with food trucks and a raffle for a signed Rams helmet, cleats and an all-expenses paid trip to the first Rams game of the season.  

Proceeds will go toward Michigan City school athletics.

Fiske is this year’s Honorary Grand Marshal of the parade.

According to the line-up, Fiske will be the 22^nd unit in the parade to include other dignitaries like Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch, Congressman Frank Mrvan and Uncle Sam on stilts.

(Chesterton, IN) - The South Shore commuter line is reducing the speed of its train because of the extreme heat.

Officials with the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, which operates the railroad, said maximum speeds will be decreased between South Bend and Ogden Dunes to minimize any heat related damage that might occur to track and overhead wire.

"Passengers please be at boarding stations on time in the event delays are less than expected," NICTD officials said.

An extreme heating warning for the area is in effect until 7 o’clock this evening.

(Michigan City, IN) - Police are turning to the public for help in solving the shooting of a man last night at Washington Park in Michigan City.

The wounds suffered by the 23 year old victim from Michigan City were not life threatening, police said.

Police said the investigation, so far, indicates an argument before 9 p.m. resulted in multiple gunshots near the north end of the parking lot and damage two vehicles.

No arrests have been made yet.

According to investigators, the gunfire was an isolated incident and not some random act of violence.

Further details about the shooting were not released.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Michigan City Police Department and can remain anonymous, according to police.

(La Porte County, IN) - A driver struck a NIPSCO pole and fled but left behind evidence that could suggest whoever was behind the wheel might have been impaired.

The collision resulting in at least one power outage happened about 4 a.m. Saturday on 150 East near the La Porte city limits.

According to La Porte County Police, tires marks indicated the vehicle left the road several times before striking the utility pole.

Part of the vehicle’s front bumper along with vomit were discovered at the crash scene, police said.

Police said also discovered was evidence the vehicle before or after the collision had traveled some distance in a farm field.

Investigators examined the images captured by a nearby flock camera but none of the 58 vehicles did not appear to be missing a front bumper, police said.

(St. Joseph, MICH) - Fighting again resulted in the early closure of a beach along Lake Michigan in Berrien County, Michigan.

About 8 p.m. last evening, Berrien County Police said a larger number of young adults and juveniles at Silver Beach in St. Joseph began to cause a disturbance, which resulted in two people engaging in physical contact.

Additional law enforcement units were called to restore order but some people continued to act disorderly, which led to the decision to close the beach for the remainder of the evening, police said.

Police said one adult and one juvenile were issued citations for disturbing the peace.

“We will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to deal with anyone acting outside the laws or ordinances down at Silver Beach,” said Undersheriff Greg Sanders.   

A few weeks ago, fighting resulted in an early closure at the same beach.

(Indianapolis, IN) - The Indiana Department of Transportation is expanding the use of its new speed control ticketing program at road construction sites.

According to INDOT, the next location beginning July 7 will be a four mile stretch of Interstate 65 near Lowell.  Currently, the program monitoring the speeds of passing drivers is active at a work zone on I-465/I-69 in Indianapolis.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Police made a drug bust after stopping a car for having a loud muffler.

About 10 a.m. Friday, police said an officer heard the loud muffler at U.S. 20 and Indiana 39 and soon made a traffic stop.

According to police, the driver, Jason Conrick denied having any drugs in the vehicle but a K-9 dog conducting an outside sweep of the 1996 Honda disagreed.

It’s alleged a sandwich bag containing over six grams of methamphetamine along with a smoking pipe used to ingest the drug were recovered from a backpack on the back seat of the car.

The 43 year old La Porte man taken to the La Porte County Jail on two counts, including Level 5 felony possession of methamphetamine. 

Conrick was being held on $15,000 bond.

(La Porte, IN) - A man quickly subdued by police is accused of physically assaulting a President Trump protester during a demonstration Saturday in downtown LaPorte.

Brian Foster, 45, was formally charged Monday in La Porte Superior Court 3 of battery and two other misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and public intoxication.

According to LaPorte Police, Foster was a passenger in a vehicle driving past the demonstration outside the courthouse at Lincolnway and U.S. 35.

He allegedly yelled at one of the demonstrators, who was standing on a sidewalk holding an American flag hanging upside down from a pole.  An upside down flag means America in distress.

Foster demanded the man turn the flag the right way, but when the demonstrator refused, he asked the driver to stop the vehicle so he could step out.

Police said Foster approached the 38 year old man holding the flag and, during a verbal exchange, punched him in the face. Both men grabbed each other and fell to the pavement along the edge of the curb on the U.S 35 side of the intersection.

Several demonstrators were trying to remove Foster from the victim, when two officers monitoring the protest from across the street called for assistance and ran over.

Two officers, with help from a third, lifted Foster up off the pavement and placed him in handcuffs.  Foster was escorted a few hundred feet on foot to the La Porte County Jail where he was given a portable breathalyzer test after an officer detected an odor of alcohol.

The victim, Blake Boardman of La Porte did not have any obvious signs of injury, but did complain of some pain from the cheek and temple on the left side of his face. Boardman said he was also experiencing pain from Foster stepping on his foot during the confrontation.

“That’s about it,” he said.

Boardman said the demonstration, a week after protests against the president were held nationwide, was nearly over and went peacefully until the conflict.

(La Porte, IN) - A man was hauled away by police after attacking an anti-President Trump demonstrator Saturday in downtown La Porte.

A man holding an upside down American flag said he was punched by the suspect.

Police rushing in found the suspect being held to the pavement by a few of the demonstrators and whisked him away in handcuffs.

An upside down flag means "America in Distress."

About 100 people took part in the demonstration outside the courthouse.

The victim complained only of pain. 

(La Porte, IN) - Extreme heat is settling in for the next few days, and authorities are advising caution with outdoor activities.

A Heat Advisory will be in effect until 7:00 a.m. Sunday morning. From Sunday morning through Tuesday evening, an Extreme Heat Watch goes into effect, with heat index values up to 105 possible.

To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.

Designated cooling centers in La Porte are as follows:

La Porte City Hall, 801 Michigan Avenue

Mon – Fri, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

La Porte Civic Auditorium, 1001 Ridge Street

Mon – Fri, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

La Porte County Public Library, 904 Indiana Avenue

Mon – Thurs, 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Fri, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Sat, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

LPCPL Exchange, 807 Indiana Avenue

Mon – Thurs, 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Fri, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Sat, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

La Porte Fire Station 3, 710 Daytona Street

Daily, 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM *

* La Porte Fire Station 3 will be temporarily unavailable while responding to calls. *

Center Township Trustee, 1108 West State Road 2

Mon – Tue, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Wed, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Fri, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City man is in custody following a neighborhood shooting in broad daylight.

On June 10, units responded to a call of “shots fired” at 217 Loran Road, just east of Washington Park in Michigan City.

Authorities say a dispute between two individuals had escalated into gunfire, with the suspect firing multiple rounds into the victim’s vehicle. Several members of the public witnessed the incident as it unfolded and identified 48-year-old Arthur Smith as the shooter. Smith by then had fled the scene.

On Thursday police learned that Smith was perhaps planning to flee the state and quickly determined his whereabouts. A SWAT team arrested Smith at a residence, along with three other individuals.

Smith is being held on a $20,000 cash bond, facing four felony charges related to the shooting, the most serious of which is being violent felon in possession of a firearm.

The identities, warrant details, and charges for the three additional arrestees are still pending further investigation.

According to Michigan City Police Chief Marty Corley, the arrests reflect a team effort by community members and law enforcement, led by the department’s Crime Suppression Unit.

“This was a fast-moving case that started with gunfire in the middle of the day, but it ended with coordinated action, solid police work, and multiple arrests,” he said.

“CSU continues to deliver results that make a real impact on the safety of our neighborhoods. The public played a key role in helping us bring this case to a close, and this kind of partnership is exactly how we build safer communities together.”

MCPD urges anyone with information about violent or suspicious activity to contact the department or leave an anonymous tip. Community cooperation remains a vital part of effective, accountable policing. The Crime Suppression Unit asks anyone with information about criminal activity to contact them at 219-873-1488 or via social media.

(Michigan City, IN) - A domestic incident in Michigan City resulted in an arrest and seizure of guns and drugs.

Tuesday in the middle of the night, police responded to a residence at 525 Tremont Street on the city’s near east side. Officers heard a woman yelling for help from inside the home and quickly made entry.

They were able to safely retrieve the female victim and detain the male suspect, 39-year-old Adam Bray of Michigan City. After obtaining a search warrant, officers recovered multiple firearms, suspected illicit drugs, along with ammunition from inside the residence.

“I’m proud of our patrol officers for their quick response, which likely prevented further harm,” said Michigan City Police Chief Marty Corley. “Taking violent offenders and illegal firearms off our streets is critical to keeping our community safe, and we remain committed to protecting our residents at every hour of the day.”

Bray, a serious violent felon, has been charged with the following:

-  Criminal Confinement While Armed with a Deadly Weapon – Level 3 Felony

-  Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon – Level 4 Felony

-  Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon – Level 5 Felony

-  Criminal Recklessness (Shooting a Firearm Into a Building) – Level 5 Felony

-  Dealing in a Substance Represented to Be a Controlled Substance – Level 5 Felony

Bray is currently being held on a $25,000 cash-only bond, with an initial court hearing scheduled for June 24 in La Porte Superior Court I.

(Michigan City, IN) - The South Shore commuter line is now taking passengers at its new 11^th St. train station in Michigan City.

There’s also a new parking structure that was part of the Wednesday grand opening.

The station features a train platform, amenities like seating and restrooms along with over 500 parking spaces for riders.

The new facility combined with last year’s completion of the double track to reduce travel times to and from Chicago is viewed as a major milestone in the city’s ongoing revitalization efforts.

“This station is more than a transportation hub.  It’s a symbol of Michigan City’s momentum,” said Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch.

Next to the station, construction of an apartment tower also featuring retail and other commercial space is ongoing.

The expectation is drawing more people to visit and live in Michigan City along with investors creating businesses to cater to their needs.

(Michigan City, IN) - The annual Kiddie Parade in Michigan City scheduled tomorrow has been postponed due to excessive heat in the forecast.

“We know this is a huge disappointment to the kids who are participating, but the health and safety of all those involved is our priority,” said Terry Greetham, Special Events Director for Michigan City.

“We are working on a plan to reschedule the parade for later this year,” he said.

Temperatures in the 90's are predicted for the upcoming weekend. 

Greetham said a new date for the parade, which traditionally runs through the Uptown Arts District on Franklin St., will be announced in the next few weeks.

For more information, visit Michigan City Special Events Facebook page.

(La Porte County, IN) - A Michigan City area man is accused of being drunk when he fled from two separate crashes.

Mark Eddy, 66, was booked into the La Porte County Jail for Class A misdemeanor operating while intoxicated.

Police said Eddy on Wednesday night rear ended a vehicle on U.S. 20 at Woodland Ave.  

The driver he just hit was following him when Eddy a few minutes later on U.S. 20 struck the back of a vehicle stopped for a red light at U.S. 35, police said.

Police said the first driver he hit continued following Eddy until the suspect pulled up to his residence in the 6200 block of N. 400 West.  When approached by officers, Eddy said he was returning from a liquor store at the time of the crashes.

His alleged blood alcohol level was .288 percent or more than three times the legal limit.  The second driver he hit complained of whiplash but refused medical treatment, police said.

(La Porte County, IN) - A New Prairie High School student continues to take “baby steps” in his ongoing recovery from severe injuries suffered in a school bus crash over a month ago.

That’s according to Kelley Bradshaw in her latest post about the condition of her son, Lucas, who suffered a brain injury.

Bradshaw said her 16 year old son has not woken up yet, but does respond in ways like giving a thumbs-up, or thumbs-down.  His other responses include “eating and crunching of ice chips,” she said.

Bradshaw said Lucas has also been following through on his physical and occupational therapy sessions even when he’s exhausted.

She reported her son has since been moved from Memorial Hospital in South Bend to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

According to Bradshaw, over $80,000 to help with medical expenses has been raised, so far, on GoFundMe.

The driver who allegedly caused the crash, Shawn Akison, 41, of Romeoville, Illinois remains in the La Porte County Jail on $15,000 bond.

He’s charged with Level 5 felony criminal recklessness for his alleged erratic driving of a box truck leading up to the crash at U.S. 20 and Fail Road while the junior varsity baseball team was heading to a game in Hobart.

Several other players and one of the assistant coaches were seriously hurt but they’ve since been released from the hospital.

(La Porte County, IN) - There’s a new log cabin in Pioneer Land at the La Porte County Fairgrounds.

This La Porte County Farm Bureau cabin is on the same site as the organization’s old cabin, which was moved to another spot a short distance away.

The new Amish-built cabin was made with real logs from white pine trees brought in from Wisconsin and has a projected lifespan of 100 years.

In comparison, the old cabin, where milk was served for 25 cents per cup during the fair, was showing signs of age less than 30 years since it was constructed.

“We used true logs.  That was the plan to have it here for 100 years,” said La Porte County Farm Bureau President Mark Parkman during a Thursday ribbon cutting.

Parkman said the beloved tradition of selling milk in a cup will continue at the new cabin, which has a fireplace along with heating and air conditioning, features lacking in the old building.

Construction of the new cabin, which began in March, was over $100,000. Much of the expense was offset from over 100 families and organizations contributing $1,000 apiece.

After the ribbon cutting, the donors in attendance received a free ribeye steak dinner hot off a food truck and eaten on picnic tables following a tour of the cabin.

Farm Bureau member Luann Troxel said she was especially taken back by the scent of white pine when she stepped inside the cabin but also admired the rustic look on the inside.

“You see these huge beams and you see the barn doors and the antiques on the shelves. It’s just really nice,” she said.

Parkman said the cabin will also be open during the annual Christmas at Pioneer Land in early December.  For now, he said the old cabin will be used as a place for mothers to breastfeed their babies in privacy during the fair and change a diaper, if necessary.

(Porter County, IN) - A local state lawmaker is being allowed to keep driving at least until a decision is reached on the Class A misdemeanor operating while intoxicated charge filed against him.

State Senator Mike Bohacek of Michiana Shores will be required to blow into the tube of an ignition interlock device ordered to be installed on his vehicle.

The ignition will turn if alcohol is not detected on his breath by the device.

His request to keep driving, for now, was granted Wednesday by Porter County Superior Court 6 Judge Jeffrey Thode.

Thode agreed to preside over the case after all of the judges in La Porte County recused themselves to avoid any appearance of political impropriety.

The Porter County Prosecutor’s Office is trying the case at the request of La Porte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan for the same reason.

On January 24, Bohacek, after a traffic stop was, found with an alleged .283 percent blood alcohol content.

The judge could have ordered an immediate suspension of his license until the case was decided.  But, Thode sided with written arguments from defense attorney David Payne that such action would have created “substantial hardship” on Bohacek and his family.

Bohacek represents southern St. Joseph County, most of La Porte and Marshall counties and all of Starke County.

Bohacek wasn’t arrested right away because the Indiana constitution prohibits state lawmakers from being taken into custody while the Indiana General Assembly is in session except for treason, a felony or breach of peace.

This year’s legislative session that began in early January ended in late April.

According to court documents, police were called about a man later identified as Bohacek stumbling out of his 2023 Dodge Charger outside Panda Express in Michigan City.  Police were also told the same man appeared intoxicated while ordering food inside the restaurant.

Responding officers, after notified Bohacek had just left, soon located the vehicle with an Indiana State Senator license plate on it turning onto U.S. 20.  Officers stopped him for traveling 62 in a 45 mile per hour zone.

With red, watery and blood shot eyes, Bohacek denied consuming alcoholic beverages, telling the officer in a slurred speech he was coming back from Indianapolis and was short on sleep, according to court documents.

(Westville, IN) - Charges are filed in connection with another drug smuggling attempt at the prison in Westville.

Anterrion Chatfield-John, 23, and Donovan Nelson, 24, both of Fort Wayne were still being held today in the La Porte County Jail following their arrests Sunday night.

They both charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 5 felony trafficking with an inmate.

According to court documents, suspicious activity detected outside the prison grounds resulted in an officer using a drone to locate Chatfield-John lying in a cornfield near the prison wall.

He allegedly had a backpack containing a large amount of tobacco, roughly two ounces of marijuana along with rolling papers and a half dozen cigars.

Officers located Nelson in a car outside the nearby Taco Bell based on the description of a vehicle included in the suspicious activity report.

Police said Chatfield-John stepped out of that car with the backpack he intended to throw over the prison wall.  Nelson allegedly drove both of them to the prison.

Court documents revealed Chatfield-John claimed he was going to receive $1,000 and split the money with Nelson for smuggling the contraband into the prison.

(Chesterton, IN) - An increase in fares on the South Shore Railroad commuter line will go into effect on July 1.

The increase approved in late May means the cost of a one way trip from Michigan City to Millennium Station in downtown Chicago increasing from $10.25 to $11.50.

“The increase, the first in over 7 years, reflects the growing costs of maintaining and improving commuter rail service while continuing to provide safe, efficient, and convenient transportation for our passengers,” said Michael Noland, South Shore Line President.

As part of the rate increase, enhanced discounts will be offered on multi-ride tickets.  The discount for a 10-ride ticket will increase from 5% to 10% while 25-ride ticket discounts will go from 10% to 20%.

“We hope these increased savings offer added value to our frequent travelers,” Noland said.

Riders can also choose a monthly ticket, which provides a 33% savings based on a 21 day work month.

According to South Shore officials, many employers take part in transit benefit programs which can save employees up to an additional 40% on their commuting costs.

The updated fare chart is available at https://mysouthshoreline.com/tickets/tickets-fares/.

(Michigan City, IN) - A teenager is facing charges in connection with more than 70 gunshots fired in Michigan City.

Miko Lemons, Jr., 19, is facing charges like Level 5 felony criminal recklessness.

Police said officers responding to a report of shots fired Monday night recovered 72 spent bullet shell casings in an alley near W. 8^th St. close to Pullman Park on the city’s northwest side.

Several casings were also found in an alley between Seymour Ave. and Hancock St.

When officers arrived, police said Lemons hiding in some tall grass took off running but, eventually, stopped fleeing and was taken into custody.

According to court documents, Lemons showed up to a home on Seymour Ave. asking another individual if he wanted to join him in firing the gun he had on his possession.

There were no reports of any damage.

Police said a backpack containing another gun and firearm accessories like loaded magazines was recovered from a nearby shed.

Lemons is also charged with possessing a stolen fire arm and resisting law enforcement.

(Chesterton, IN) - Indiana State Police are investigating a gunfire exchange in Chesterton that left a man dead and a police officer wounded.

It occurred about 8 a.m. yesterday outside the Hilton Garden Inn hotel in the 500 block of Gateway Boulevard.

Police said officers from Chesterton responded on a report of a man not a guest at the hotel. 

After officers approached the man, police said there was a confrontation and exchange of gunfire. The suspect was dead at the scene while the wounded officer was taken to a trauma hospital in Illinois.

Police said the officer has since been released and is expected to make a full recovery.

So far, the names of those involved in the gunfire exchange and other details have not been released.

(La Porte County, IN) - About 150 NIPSCO customers in the utility’s La Porte service area are without power this morning due to yesterday’s storm.

According to NIPSCO, another 50 or so customers are without electricity in the Union Mills area while the number is just over 160 in the Wanatah area.

Just over 60 customers of Indiana Michigan Power Company are without power in Springfield Township.

(La Porte, IN) - The manager of a La Porte auto parts store is accused of embezzling several thousand dollars from the business.

James Snyder, 25, is charged with La Porte Circuit Court with Level 6 felony theft.

Snyder appeared for his initial court hearing today with his attorney nearly a week after he was arrested and posted bond.

According to court documents, the Valparaiso man took more than $3,800 from Auto Zone at 310 E. Lincolnway over a six month period.

Snyder printed two receipts on purchases and whenever merchandise was returned he gave the receipt showing customer their money back then used his receipt to double-dip on the return, police said.

When confronted by an Auto Zone regional loss prevention manager, Snyder admitted to the allegations, according to court documents.

In a written statement to the store chain used as evidence in the case, Snyder said he used the funds to stabilize his personal finances and support his family.

“I don’t like doing it and don’t want to, but I feel like I have to make ends meet. I’ve been trying to find a better paying job,” he said.

He could face a six month to 30 month sentence. 

(La Porte County, IN) - A man traveling on a stretch of La Porte County highway closed for maintenance wound up crashing and being taken to a hospital.

Police also discovered Jimmy Chavarria-Arauz had never obtained a driver’s license.

According to La Porte County Police, the accident happened Tuesday about 3:30 p.m. on Indiana 39 near 800 North.  Indiana 39 was closed at the time from U.S. 20 to the Michigan state line because of gravel laid on the road for seal coating.

Arauz, 33, told the officer using an online translator there was a “cloud of dust” when he lost control of his car.

His car left the two lane highway and rolled.

Police said Arauz had abrasions on both arms and forehead area.  He also complained of pain to his chest, arms, neck and back.

He was in a hospital emergency room when given a summons ordering he appear in court for driving without ever receiving a valid license.

Indiana 39 is expected to reopen on Thursday. 

(La Porte, IN) - A suspected drunk driver is facing potential time behind bars for leading La Porte Police on a high speed pursuit down several city streets.

Eduardo Bautista, 18, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with operating while intoxicated, resisting law enforcement, consumption of alcohol by a minor and operating while never obtaining a driver’s license.

According to court documents, an officer on June 11 spotted the man run a stop sign while turning onto Lincolnway from Philadelphia St. then accelerate to more than 55 miles per hour in a 35 mph. zone.

After the officer caught up to the vehicle, police said Bautista skidded to a stop, backed up and turned down Cook St. then quickly reached high speeds again.

He traveled a few more blocks then veered down Darlington before pulled over in front of his aunt’s house.  Police said an open car of beer was in the center console of his vehicle.

Bautista was taken into custody after refusing to submit to a certified blood alcohol test.

(Michigan City, IN) - A dispute over religion at a bar near Michigan City’s lakefront exploded into several people fighting along with an arrest.

Blake Schoiber, 24, of Michigan City was still being held in the La Porte County Jail on $755 bond after the early Tuesday brawl.

According to police, several customers at Matey’s told officers a verbally aggressive Schoiber had been wanting to fight several people disagreeing with his belief in Jesus.

When customers were informed the bar was closing for the night, Schoiber exchanged words with the bartender and was escorted outside where he began peddling away on a bicycle, police said.

However, police said the investigation indicates Schoiber hopped off the two wheeler and walked over to people in the parking lot, asking “who wants some.”

There were punches landed and, when officers arrived, Schroiber had a man in a headlock, police said.

Police said Schoiber was also very combative toward officers forcing them to place restraints around his wrists and ankles.

He was booked on charges of battery to a public safety official and other counts like disorderly conduct and public intoxication.

(La Porte, IN) - The City of La Porte is starting to feel the pinch from a $1 million federal grant being revoked by the cost costing Trump administration.

The funds awarded during the Biden administration were for removing dead and dying trees and replacing them with new ones over the next several years.

During the city’s Board of Public Works & Safety meeting, City Engineer Nick Minich said an order for 80 trees costing around $50,000 was cancelled.

He said new buyers were found for most of the trees but the city purchased 18 trees from the original order with other funds in a show of good faith to the provider. 

The grant was pulled during the time the new U.S. Department of Government Efficiency was uncovering and eliminating forms of spending it felt were unnecessary.

The city has been working with members of Congress and others in an attempt to recover the grant to help fund a program aimed at removing hundreds of dead and dying trees and replacing them with new ones.

(Berrien County, MI) - Michigan’s first confirmed Asian longhorned tick native to East Asia was found in Berrien County.

As a result, owners of livestock and pets are asked to keep closer watch of their animals for the potential disease spreading blood suckers.

According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the species of tick was confirmed June 11 from test results of specimens collected at Grand Mere State Park near Stevensville.

The first ALHT confirmed in the U.S. in 2017 at New Jersey has spread to more than 20 other states in the eastern part of the nation, including some in the Midwest like Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.

The concern about the potential impact on the health of animals, particularly cattle, is over the ability of the species to grow rapidly in population and totally infest an animal.

Female ALHT’s can produce without a mate and lay up to 2,000 eggs at a time, MDARD said.

Large infestations of the tick have been known to form on an animal, causing stress, reduced growth and production along with death from blood loss.  The ALHT is also capable of causing tickborne diseases affecting human and animals, according to MDARD.  

“By knowing this species of tick is in our state, we will increase our educational outreach to producers, animal owners and animal health professionals so we can all do our part to safeguard animal and public health, said State Veterinarian Dr. Nora Wineland.

According to MDARD, tracking of the tick will also occur now in other parts of the state with help from academic partners, local health departments and other state and federal agencies.

Female ALHT’s about the size of a sesame seed or smaller are light brown in color and can grow to about the size of a pea when full of blood.

ALHT’s have also been found on other animals such as goats, sheep, horses, chickens, dogs and cats.

The ticks collected in other parts of the country have been found to carry a pathogen that causes bovine theileriosis.  According to USDA, signs of bovine theileriosis infection ranges from weakness, loss of appetite and difficulty breathing to reduced milk production and abortion.

MDARD is recommending animal owners to contact their veterinarians about performing regular tick treatments.  Other preventative measures include checking for ticks around the eyes, ears, limbs, tail and toes.  Any ticks should be removed as quickly as possible. 

According to MDARD, owners should also keep tall grass in pastures and lawns trimmed back or mowed along buildings and property edges.

(Michigan City, IN) - A worker at a Michigan City daycare facility could face prison time for the injuries and rough treatment inflicted on two babies.

Aniya Dabney, 21, is charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with six Level 5 felony counts of battery and Level 6 felony obstruction of justice.

According to court documents, the allegations involving both infants occurred on May 1 at Tt’s Daycare in the 200 block of N. Carroll Ave.

Police became involved when a man after picking up his 12 month old son from the center discovered significant bruising and marks on his buttocks, both legs and an arm.

According to court documents, surveillance video police obtained from the daycare facility shows Dabney grabbing a back scratcher off the wall and going into a room where the boy was located.

The video also contains the sound of something soon being struck multiple

times and the boy screaming, police said.

Police said there’s also video showing Dabney holding the back scratcher after leaving the room and threatening to hit the boy heard crying in the background some more.

That same day, police said Dabney was captured on video doing things at the daycare center like dragging a five month girl across the floor by the leg and picking her up off the floor by the collar of her onesie.

Police said the video images also include Dabney dropping the girl several times onto a large cushion on the floor hard enough sometimes to cause her head to bounce.

Dabney of LaPorte taken into custody Monday was being held in the La Porte County Jail on $15,000 bond.

(Michigan City, IN) - A leak sprung from an overturned fuel tanker truck Monday near Michigan City High School.

About 7:30 a.m., the driver hauling about 3,000 gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel told investigators he was turning left from Cleveland Ave. onto Pahs Road when his brakes failed.

The truck unable to slow down enough to properly execute the turn wound up on its side.

Police said the driver, Horace Parnell, 36, of Illinois was able to crawl out a window in the cab of the truck and refused medical treatment.

La Porte County Hazardous Materials Coordinator Jeff Hamilton said an estimated 75 gallons of diesel fuel wound up on the grass, road and storm drain before the leak was sealed.

Hamilton said an environmental company was contacted to clean up the fuel and those efforts were still ongoing late in the afternoon.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man spent part of his vacation behind bars after caught just inside the Indiana border with a large amount of marijuana products bought from a dispensary in New Buffalo Township.

Brendan Moriarty, 39, is charged in La Porte Superior Court 4 with Level 6 felony possession of marijuana.

According to La Porte County Police, the man on Monday, June 16 was clocked traveling 25 miles per hour above the 30 mph. speed limit on Meer Road south of U.S. 12 just outside the corporate boundaries of Michigan City.

During a traffic stop, police said the officer detected an odor of raw marijuana coming from the SUV.

Moriarty allegedly confessed to having marijuana, which is legal to purchase in Michigan but remains against the law in Indiana. 

He told the officer “It’s a large amount.  I mean, I’m here on vacation,” according to police.

Police said a search of the vehicle turned up a tote bag from a dispensary along U.S. 12 containing four bags of marijuana, 74 THC vape cartridges and six packages of THC gummies.

The Lafayette, Ind. man was taken to the La Porte County Jail and released the next day after posting $750 bond.  He could face anywhere from a six month to 30 month prison sentence.

(La Porte, IN) - It’s "Jim Roy Day" today in the City of La Porte.

For 24 years, the La Porte man has been purchasing all of the flags and hardware used by the city to fasten them to the poles leading up to the Fourth of July.

Inspired by the terrorist attacks at home in September of 2001, Roy became involved when the La Porte Jaycees no longer could afford the cost of the flags that usually go up by Memorial Day.

The city council last night passed a proclamation declaring today as Jim Roy Day.  Roy said the number of flags he has purchased now stands at 780.

“Every year those flags are replaced,” he said.

He said the annual cost of the flags and hardware is around $10,000 to $12,000 but he’s willing to pay the price to show support for the nation and freedoms veterans like his father helped achieve and defend.

Mayor Tom Dermody said he felt the public, especially in a city like La Porte that supports veterans,  should know who’s responsible for carrying on the long tradition.

“This should not go unnoticed,” he said.

(La Porte County, IN) - About 1,200 feet of copper wiring was stripped from an irrigation system at a La Porte County farm.

A La Porte County Police officer on Friday was dispatched to the area of 1150 West and 800 South between Westville and Wanatah.

Police said a farmer reported he turned on the irrigation system consisting of six sections but no water came out.  He contacted a repairman who discovered the wires had been cut and stolen from each of the sections on the southwest corner of the field.

Whoever was behind the heist left behind a 15 foot long stretch of wire found on the ground near one of the stripped crop watering towers, police said.

Police said the theft happened sometime after the irrigation system was last used about a week prior to the discovery.

The cost of repairs was estimated at $2,000.

A rash of copper wire thefts from irrigation systems just before spring happened in St. Joseph and La Porte counties.

In general, La Porte County Police Capt. Derek Allen said irrigation systems are prone to thieves wanting copper wire to sell for scrap because they’re often in isolated locations and not used sometime for long durations.

Allen said it happens enough that some farmers have surveillance cameras near irrigators to help catch thieves if they strike in their fields.

He described such thefts in La Porte County as happening more “sporadically” than on a regular basis.

(La Porte, IN) - La Porte Police arrested the driver of a U-Haul van traveling at least twice the 35 mile per hour speed limit early today.

The same vehicle is also suspected in complaints about the driver constantly honking the horn.

Jason Zver, 42, of La Porte was charged with reckless driving.

Police said an officer about 2 a.m. spotted the moving van eastbound on 2^nd St. and turning onto L St. without stopping for a stop sign.

The officer was then alerted to reports about a similar looking U-Haul van driving around for a couple of hours with its horn constantly blaring and the driver also honking the horn for long periods of time while parked in the 700 block of Maple Ave.

Police said the officer was on J St. when he tried catching up to the moving van but kept losing distance despite traveling 70 miles per hour. 

The van soon pulled over after the officer activated his flashing lights and siren.  Police said Zver told the officer he was traveling fast because his foot got stuck underneath the gas pedal.

He was also issued traffic tickets for his alleged driving infractions.

(La Porte County, IN) - A woman is suspected of having her repossessed vehicle taken from a Rolling Prairie area impound yard with help from a man crashing the SUV through the locked gate.

According to La Porte County Police, video from a security camera shows a man climbing over the impound yard’s fence early Saturday and getting into the 2024 Mitsubishi sport utility vehicle.

Police said the video also shows the SUV crashing into the gate, backing up and crashing into it again.

The gate secured with a chain and padlock busted open the second time it was rammed and the vehicle fled.

Police said the SUV was detected by a license plate reading flock camera entering St. Joseph County on Indiana 2.  The vehicle was repossessed in South Bend.

Police said the owner is suspected of having the man with tattoos on his neck take back the vehicle for her because she still had the keys.

No arrests have been made but the La Porte County Prosecutor’s Office was contacted as part of the ongoing investigation, police said.

(La Porte County, IN) - A report of a vehicle operating in an unsafe manner with beer cans being thrown out the window resulted in the driver being arrested with a blood alcohol content nearly four times the legal limit.

That’s according to La Porte County Police, who responded Sunday just before 6:30 p.m.

Police said Zachary Oman, 30, was southbound on U.S. 35 before turning left into the Kingsbury Industrial Park.  An officer behind him witnessed his car twice veer over the center line before making a traffic stop.

Police said there were numerous empty beer cans discovered inside a cooler on the back seat of Oman’s vehicle.

The Valparaiso man, who has a prior OWI conviction in Michigan from 2018, denied throwing beer cans out of the car.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man is recovering from serious injuries after striking a deer on a motorcycle in the Union Mills area.

Brian Holst, 46, of Valparaiso was airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend.

La Porte County Police said Holst was eastbound on his 1995 Harley Davidson when he struck the deer in the 4400 block of W. 800 South about 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Holst was in and out of consciousness before loaded into a medical helicopter behind the Noble Township Volunteer Fire Department with road rash on his arms, legs and laceration to his head, police said.

Police said he was not wearing a helmet.

(Parke County, IN) - A nurse and Indiana Conservation Officers were in the right place at the right time to rescue a young drowning victim.

This happened Tuesday afternoon at Raccoon State Recreation Area in Parke County, west of Indianapolis.

According to reports from the Department of Natural Resources, a man’s 10-year-old granddaughter went under the water at a swimming beach and did not come up. When he dragged her from the water after a few minutes, the girl was blue, not breathing, and did not have a pulse.

Luckily, Conservation Officers were nearby, conducting river rescue training. When they arrived on scene, they found Ashley Pecchenino, a registered nurse from Illinois, administering CPR.

After two minutes of diligent effort, the girl regained a pulse, began breathing on her own, and became responsive. She was flown by Lifeline helicopter to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis in stable condition.

(Michigan City, IN) - A recently-formed police task force in Michigan City is taking a bite out of crime.

Over Memorial Day weekend, a strategically deployed Crime Suppression Unit went into action. The result was 17 arrests, the execution of three search warrants, and the seizure of nine firearms. Police say they also confiscated quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, disrupting active distribution networks and reducing immediate threats to community safety.

“This unit was created with a very clear mission: to target the drivers of violent crime in our community,” said Chief of Police Marty Corley. “The outcomes we saw over the holiday weekend are a direct result of focused policing, smart deployment of resources, and strong teamwork between our specialized unit and patrol officers. We’re not just reacting—we’re getting ahead of the violence.”

As Michigan City police continue their summer strategy, the Crime Suppression Unit will remain active and visible, working to reduce violence, hold offenders accountable, and support neighborhoods across the city.

The Crime Suppression Unit asks anyone with information about criminal activity to contact them at 219-873-1488 or via social media.

(South Bend, IN) - A man arrested in Michigan City for illegally possessing a machine gun has been sentenced in federal court.

In March of 2023, 30-year-old Nvaun Lewis of Gary was arrested in Michigan City for unlawful possession of a machine gun, identity deception, resisting arrest, and possession of marijuana. According to authorities, Lewis had a loaded pistol with an extended magazine and a “full auto” switch.

With several prior felony convictions, including robbery and armed robbery, Lewis’ case was moved from La Porte Superior Court 1 to U.S. District Court in South Bend, where he was sentenced this week to 7 years and 4 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.

(South Bend, IN) - Three Michigan City men and an accomplice from Gary have been sentenced in federal court on serious drug charges.

23-year-old Tyler Wood, 24-year-old Clinton Rouse, and 27-year-old Justin Hervey received federal prison sentences of over 10 years each. A 23-year-old from Gary was sentenced to six years. The men were convicted of various crimes in South Bend's U.S. District Court related to fentanyl distribution and firearms.

According to police, the group worked together to sell fentanyl pills throughout Michigan City over a period of about 10 months, between October 2023 and July 2024. They trafficked tens of thousands of pills from a supplier near Detroit, authorities said.

The Michigan City Police Department, the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office, and the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office helped federal agents bring this drug ring to an end.

(New Buffalo, MI) - Decision makers in New Buffalo could be backpedaling on plans to charge for parking in the city’s downtown.

Business owners afraid of losing a lot of customers came out in droves Thursday evening to a town hall type meeting called in response to their concerns since the city council’s recent decision to install pay stations along Whittaker and Thompson streets.

The plans had not been finalized but the intent was to likely charge $2 an hour to park beginning in August, officials said.

Business owners fearing as much as a 30 to 50 percent or more loss in sales urged the plan be scrapped or paused for a year to try and come up with something both sides can agree on.

There were also threats of lawsuits by some of the business owners if paid parking is implemented.

“I’m going to hire a lawyer if this goes down,” said Kathy Kochs, owner of Sweetwater Boating Supplies.

Kochs said she has worked too hard for a long time to lose the gradual increase in customers entering her store every year to paid-parking.  

John Lustina, owner of the popular Beer Church, said he invested four million dollars to turn an over 160 year old church building into a business he claimed brings the most people into the city before issuing an ultimatum.

“If you put these meters in front of my business, we will be seeking reimbursement for all of the money we’ve spent in the last seven years,” said

Initially, Mayor Vance Price expressed doubt that people would stop coming to the city if they had to pay to park.

However, several local business owners, who reside in St. Joseph, pointed to a drastic loss of customers in that lakefront community’s downtown after pay to park there was imposed.

Maria Crawford, owner of Brewster’s restaurant, said someone having to pay $2 to park to grab a $5 sandwich or cup of coffee might choose to simply drive away.

“That is unreasonable.  There are other options the city can explore,” she said.

Diane Pysho, a member of the New Buffalo Downtown Development Authority, announced she’s against charging a fee to park.

“For the first time in years, we have fully occupied storefronts.  New Buffalo’s main street success is no coincidence and can be easily destroyed by ill-timed interference,” she said.

Eventually, Price seemed to soften his position on the matter while City Councilman Rich Knoll promised to revisit the matter with his colleagues on the governing body.

“We’ll talk this over,” Knoll said.

The decision to charge for parking comes at a time when the city is looking for additional revenue sources to offset the expense of tourists coming into the community without placing the burden on local taxpayers and solutions to a parking shortage.

Business owners suggested enforcing the existing three hour parking limit with stiff fines to generate  revenue instead of charging people to park.

(La Porte, IN) - A man with a long history of prior convictions in La Porte County is back in jail for again stealing and driving with a lifetime ban on his license.

Damon Sacks, 46, has been held without bond since his arrest on June 4 after stopped for having a stolen license plate on his vehicle in La Porte.

Police said an officer was alerted to the stolen license plate by a Flock camera while Sacks was traveling on Pine Lake Ave.

Sacks was soon located behind the wheel of a Chevy Tahoe after he pulled into a parking lot in the 400 block of Perry St.

According to court documents, he has multiple past convictions for driving with a lifetime ban on his license and other crimes like operating while intoxicated, possession of methamphetamine and burglary.

Sacks is also facing a recently filed charge of theft.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man behind the wheel of a pick-up truck was hit in the rear but he was one given the middle finger by the fleeing driver.

This happened yesterday afternoon on U.S. 20 near Michigan City.

La Porte County Police said the victim was slowing down at 450 West to make a left hand turn when struck in the rear.

The man at fault described as black, wearing a white shirt and driving a Chevy Malibu wound up in a ditch but in reverse was able to return to the highway.

Police said the hit and run suspect was last seen fleeing eastbound with his middle finger pointed at the other driver.

Nobody was injured, police said.

(La Porte, IN) - The City of La Porte will have a public fireworks display to celebrate Independence Day.

According to the mayor’s office, the fireworks show will be July 3 over Clear Lake at Fox Park.

The city is partnering with the La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau on the show.

“We are thrilled to once again put on this show for our community, and we are grateful to the CVB for their generous support to help make this happen,” said La Porte Park Department Superintendent Mark Schreiber.

The show at dusk will follow the Arts in the Park concert at the amphitheater at Fox Park.  Schreiber said ample parking will be available for the show throughout the grounds.

(La Porte County, IN) - Another much larger stretch of Indiana 39 in La Porte County will be closed next week for maintenance.

According to the Indiana Department of Transportation, seal coating of the pavement will result in the two lane highway being closed for approximately two days from U.S. 20 to the Michigan state line.

The closure, depending on weather, will begin on or after Tuesday, INDOT said.   The official detour will follow U.S. 20 and I-94.

Currently, a short stretch of Indiana 39 is closed between the Indiana Toll Road and Tiffany Woods Drive through the end of this month due to work being conducted by the private operators of the Toll Road.

 

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte business is about to move to a new location.

Hometown Health & Wellness is relocating from 702 Lincolnway to 1104 6^th St. where a ribbon cutting is scheduled Wednesday at 9:15 a.m.

Tours of the new facility will be offered until the office opens at 10 a.m.

“This move to our new location will provide a much larger space with more accessible parking, which will allow us to expand our direct primary care services with more opportunities for the public and small businesses to take advantage of the benefits of the direct primary care program,” said owner Elisa Bergquist, a licensed nurse practitioner at the facility. 

In addition, wellness services that include an infrared sauna, salt therapy and IV vitamin infusions are provided along with food and nutrition classes. Services are provided through memberships.

A second provider will join the facility in August, Bergquist said.

She said new wellness services will also be offered along with other things like a commercial kitchen for healthy cooking classes later this year.

People wanting to attend the event are invited to RSVP at www.laportepartnership.com.

(Chesterton, IN) - The South Shore Road commuter line is inviting the public to take part in a survey aimed at improving service in the future.

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, which operates the railroad, has just begun strategic planning to help guide the service over the next 20 years.

According to NICTD officials, feedback from the public will help identify and rank current needs and areas for improvement.

Officials also want to hear from people not using the service to find out why and how they can be enticed into becoming future riders.

The railroad operates commuter trains running to and from Chicago and South Bend with stops in between in places like Michigan City.  The online survey open to the public through June 19 is available at  mysouthshoreline.com/public-survey-20-year-strategic-plan.

(La Porte County, IN) - A local lawmaker alleged to have driven drunk early this year is now formally charged after an outside judge accepting the case ruled the evidence against him was sufficient enough.

An initial court hearing has also been scheduled for June 18.

Indiana District 8 State Senator Mike Bohacek of Michiana Shores was issued a summons charging him with Class A misdemeanor operating while intoxicated.

Porter County Superior Court 6 Judge Jeffrey Thode on Monday accepted a request to preside over the case and found enough probable cause in the evidence to order Bohacek in a summons to defend himself against the allegations.

Thode was asked to hear the case after all judges in LaPorte County recused themselves to avoid any appearance of political impropriety.

Bohacek’s district includes much of LaPorte and Marshall counties along with all of Starke County and southern St. Joseph County.

His attorney, David Payne out of Michigan City is requesting Bohacek be allowed to keep driving until the case is decided.

Under Indiana law, judges in OWI cases have authority to order immediate driver’s license suspensions until the allegations are resolved.

Judges are also given the flexibility to allow defendants to keep driving as long as ignition interlock devices are installed on their vehicles.

A driver must blow into the device before the engine starts but the engine won’t start if the presence of alcohol is detected in the breath.

In his written motion, Payne is asking for an ignition interlock device for Bohacek, saying a driver’s license suspension would create a “substantial hardship” on him and his family.

A ruling has not been issued yet on the motion. 

According to court documents, Bohacek after a January traffic stop in Michigan City had an alleged blood alcohol level over three times the legal limit.

He wasn’t charged right away because of a provision in the state constitution that prevents state lawmakers from being arrested while the Indiana General Assembly is in session except for treason, a felony or breach of peace.

This year’s legislative session ended in late April.

(Hanna, IN) - The Purdue Extension Office has scheduled guided tours at working cut flower farms at nine different locations across the state including LaPorte County.

One of the hosts on June 17 will be the Line in the Sand Farm at 14601 S. 550 West in Hanna.

The owners are Gerard and Irene Torres, who seem to be a perfect fit for hosting one of the guided tours aimed at people wanting to grow professionally.

Mrs. Torres said growing things was a totally new venture for them when her steelworker husband decided after their children were grown that he wanted to be a farmer.

She said they sold their “fancy home” at Chesterton in 2017 and bought a residence that came with 10 acres of ground once used to raise pigs and horses that needed regeneration.

They learned how to restore the soil and grow not just flowers but vegetables like green beans, tomatoes and peppers.

Mrs. Torres, who’s been in the medical field for over 30 years, now spends most of her time raising flowers and offering them for sale in places like farmer’s markets.

The couple has also added to their operation three 100 foot long high tunnels to extend their growing season.

“We’ve like already tripled what we initially started with,” she said.

The guided tour will also include in-depth discussion on preparing soil, crop planning, succession planting and harvesting techniques, according to Purdue Extension.

Tips will be given on the cut flower varieties to choose, pest management and growing for floral designers or farmer’s markets.

In addition, there will be talk about things like startup costs along with a question and answer session and idea sharing with aspiring growers.

Emily Evers, an educator from Purdue Extension in St. Joseph County, said the guided tours are a first time offering made possible by her office helping to obtain a $40,000 grant.

Some of those monies have already been spent on class sessions related to things like protecting cut flowers from pests and disease.

She said the effort is in response to growing interest statewide in raising cut flowers.

“It’s just something that we recognized was a need,” she said.

Evers said Zinnia’s and some varieties of sunflowers are among the more popular cut flowers along with tulips and Dahlia Bulbs grown in the area.

After the flowers are harvested, Evers said new blooms reemerge multiple times in the plants after each cutting.

“Once they cut it another flower will pop up,” she said.

The either other tours will be in Vigo, Marion, Owen Whitley, Hancock, Porter, Clark and Scott counties.

Each tour costs $15 per person and pre-registration is required due to limited capacity, according to Purdue Extension.

Torres, who has drastically cut back on her duties as a nurse practitioner to focus more on the farm,   is the primary cut flower grower while her husband still working full-time as a steelworker is more involved with the vegetables.

Torres said the change in direction of their lives wasn’t easy for her emotionally, at first, but it’s one she agreed to accept for her husband.

“That was my dream home so, now, we have to go with his dream,” she said.

(La Porte County, IN) - The public is invited to join La Porte County government employees and elected officials for lunch in sort of a county fair type atmosphere.

A half dozen food trucks offering things like pizza, meditteranean food and ice cream will be outside the courthouse in Michigan City.

The menu will be similar on Friday from seven food trucks across the street from the county government complex in downtown La Porte. 

There will be picnic tables at each location for people wanting to sit down with their orders, said La Porte County Commissioner Steve Holifield. 

Last year, the first time event was considered enough of a success for it to return this year with a few more food trucks.

Holifield said It’s a chance for county employees to get to know each other and the public to meet and greet their elected officials.

“There are going to be several of us there,” he said.

The event both days will run from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  One of the foods will be French fries served from a fire truck at each location.

(Michigan City, IN) - An abandoned commercial building in Michigan City could be put back to use.

Preliminary approval has been granted on plans for the old Tire Barn property along U.S. 20 next to Marquette Mall.

Plans, if given final approval, call for the building to have a similar use.

“The intention is to take that site and redevelop it into another auto shop,” said Attorney John Gilmore representing the developer told the Michigan City Planning Commission recently.

A timeframe for reopening the building was not revealed but, currently, the plans seem to be held up by issues related to water and sewer infrastructure.  Those concerns are expected to come up for discussion by the commission again later this month.

(La Porte County, IN) - Fire heavily damaged a house Tuesday near Hudson Lake.

About 8 a.m., firefighters were called to a two story home in the area of 900 North and 700 East.   Owner Harold Slabaugh believes the fire was from a heat lamp keeping over a dozen baby chicks warm inside his shed. 

Flames spread to the outside wall of the nearby residence and into the roof of the home.

Slabaugh believes the house where he and his wife, Margaret, have lived since 2003 is a total loss but he’ll wait for his insurance company to make the final determination.

“It’s burnt.  Everything smells burnt.  It’s no good.  I think everything is a total loss,” he said.

Slaubaugh said he was at work at New York Blower while his wife was home with a grandchild when she spotted smoke and quickly vacated the residence.

All of the chicks he purchased about a month ago perished in the fire.

(La Porte, IN) - Another new chain restaurant is coming to La Porte.

A Taco John’s is planned on a vacant lot at 416 J St.

The La Porte Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday evening voted unanimously in favor of a request by the developer for special land use exception.

The special exception allows the restaurant to operate a drive-thru under the present commercial zoning, which didn’t specifically permit such a use, said La Porte Assistant City Planner David Heinold.

BZA Chairman Brian Kajer expressed support for the plans.

“Personally, I love this idea.  It’s been a vacant property for quite a few years,” he said.

Construction is expected to begin soon after the plans take the final step in the city’s approvals process, which should happen in the near future.

(New Buffalo, MI) - A New Buffalo High School graduate was just an ordinary athlete with no expectations of playing any sport in college, but any dreams he might have now of competing in the Olympics could seem legitimate.

John Riley, who just completed his first year at the University of Michigan, is considered one of the best collegiate athletes in the nation at rowing. 

The Three Oaks native was named to the American Collegiate Rowing Association’s first team all freshmen first squad.

Riley said he felt he had a chance but was still a bit surprised when first notified of his selection by a text message from a friend. He was later congratulated by his coach.

“I was just really, really happy about that,” he said.

His sudden climb up the athletic ladder is even more stunning, perhaps, because Riley had never been in a row boat when his roommate with a brother on the team encouraged him to try out.

He was impressive enough for the coaches to find a spot for him on the eight man 60 foot Wolverines freshman row boat.

“They saw a lot of potential in me,” he said.

His freshman team defeating the likes of UCLA and Purdue during the fall and spring regular seasons recently placed third in the ACRA Nationals in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Riley said rowing competitively and the work involved to be successful is physically grueling but he likes the challenge of pushing himself to the limits. He also enjoys he and his teammates in unison “pushing through the pain” toward the finish line.

“There’s something, I think, inherently beautiful about that,” he said.

Riley played soccer in each of his four years at New Buffalo High School and was a member of the track team for two seasons.  He also played baseball for one year.

Riley said not once did he ever imagine being in any sport in college let alone having such early success.

For now, Riley said he wants to see how far the sport takes him over the next couple of years before deciding whether the Olympics is something he wants to set as a goal.

“It’s a thought in the back of my mind.  It’s a little unlikely but it’s not completely out of the picture,” he said.

Riley is majoring in Kinesiology with an eye on a career somewhere in the medical field.

(La Porte County, IN) - People on federal food assistance are guaranteed to receive more bang for their bucks at the Farmed and Forged markets in La Porte and Michigan City for the entire season.

A granted has been awarded by Health Foundation of La Porte to assure the groundbreaking TRIPLE SNAP Match program continues and expands.

Under the program, $20 in SNAP benefits spent on produce means $60 in total purchasing power at the market.

Since launching in 2023, Farmed & Forged has become the only regular-season farmers market in Indiana to offer a Triple SNAP Match program, said Mandy Krickhahn, market manager at both locations and founder of The Collective Events, Inc.

"We’ve been able to build and grow this from the ground up, thanks to the incredible generosity of donors, sponsors, and supporters who believe in what this market means for our community," she said.

Krickhahn said the grant comes at a time when federal food access programs are experiencing cuts, making local support more important than ever.

In Michigan City, slightly more than $1,000 in SNAP benefits and matching funds were issued during the first market of the season this year, the highest single-market total since Farmed & Forged began, she said.

In return, vendors benefitted from higher sales.

"This isn’t just about feeding people.  It’s about building a more resilient, equitable local food system," she said.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte High School basketball player is in very select company on the hardwood.

Griffin Ott Large recently played in the Indiana All-Star Futures game between teams of players selected as the best freshmen and sophomores from the northern and southern parts of the state.

He was a member of the north team, which defeated the south team by 10 points on June 2 in Fishers.

Ott Large, who will be a junior at the start of the fall semester, had two points and five rebounds in 10 minutes of play. 

He’s hoping to make the All-State team of upperclassmen before he graduates.

“A dream of mine has always been to be an Indiana all-star and this is a first step,” he said.

Ott Large, a 6’2” point guard, averaged close to 17 points a game last season.

He said the All Star Futures game was a lesson for him on how every player at that level is faster and quicker in their decision making.

“You have to be able to guard all positions on the floor.  You can’t be that weak link on the court,” he said.

(La Porte County, IN) - Despite a lengthy search, police were unable to locate a man who fled on foot Monday afternoon from a traffic stop on the Indiana Toll Road in La Porte County.

Alfonzo Egeston, Jr., 44, took off running when officers after finding a large amount of methamphetamine in his vehicle were about to take him into custody, said La Porte County

He was pulled over near the La Porte exit for several traffic violations.

Officers ran after Egeston as he made his way toward some residential properties along County Road 450 North.

La Porte County Police Capt. Derek Allen said K-9 dogs and drones were added to the initial up to two hour search, but law enforcement maintained a presence in the area for several additional hours.

If a warrant is issued for his arrest, Allen said investigators will work any leads that might develop on his whereabouts “in hopes of quickly locating this individual.”

He said Egeston’s last known address is from Toledo, Ohio.

(La Porte, IN) - The food service department in the La Porte Community School Corporation has gained national recognition for providing tasty and healthy meals.

The department received the Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service in collaboration with the Action for Healthy Kids group.

“We are incredibly proud of our Food Service team for their dedication to providing nutritious, appealing meals that our students want to eat,” said Schools Superintendent Dr. Sandra Wood.

Wood said the lunch program was transformed by the Creation Station, a student-driven meal line at the high school offering fresh, flavorful and lower sodium options like build-your-own submarine sandwiches and burrito bowls while meeting all school meal patter requirements and dietary specifications.

As a result, she said more students are taking part in the lunch program with a higher degree of satisfaction.

The school corporation will receive money to cover the travel expenses of team members attending the national Healthy Meals Summit in Las Vegas in the fall.

(Three Oaks, MI) - Three Oaks hosted the annual national unveiling of the new United States Postal Service flag stamp.

Not bad considering the annual ceremony last year was held at Mt. Rushmore.

Village Councilman Jason Niemzyk said it was quite a tribute for the spotlight of the flag stamp unveiling to shine on Three Oaks given the deeply rooted support in the community for the nation and its veterans.

“We are a village with a tremendous amount of patriotism where neighbors look out for each other and we’re honoring the country as part of who we are,” he said.

The patriotic unveiling Saturday outside Vickers Theatre was part of the Flag Day weekend festivities, a long tradition in the community highlighted by the Sunday downtown Flag Day parade billed as the largest in the nation.

Flag Day is a national holiday celebrated every June 14.

Elizabeth Majduch, a spokesman for the USPS Corporate branch in Detroit, said the postal service chooses a different location for the unveiling of the new flag stamp each year.

Majduch said the unveiling every Flag Day was moved up this year, though, to be part of the weekend long celebration of the holiday in Three Oaks.

“Three Oaks was on our radar because they’re so patriotic here,” she said.

An estimated 10,000 people attend the annual parade in the village of about 1,400 residents.

It was only fitting, perhaps, that Three Oaks followed Mt. Rushmore for the unveiling and it to happen during the 250^th year of existence for the postal service and three branches of the U.S. military established prior to the official birth of the country.

Majduch said stamps marking the postal service anniversary will come out in July.

Benjamin Franklin, one of the signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence giving birth to the country on July 4, 1776, was the first U.S. post master.

Commemorative stamps featuring the logos of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps. were unveiled on May 19 at Freedom Plaza in Washington D.C.

“We’re patriotic just like all of you,” a spirited Don Dombrow, Jr., the featured speaker for the unveiling ceremony, told the crowd of nearly 200 people.

Dombrow, the USPS Manager in Michigan for District 2 serving nearly two million delivery points, is a U.S. Navy veteran who served during the Persian Gulf War in the early 1990’s.

He called the flag stamp, which debuted in 1869, “an enduring symbol of freedom, national unity and patriotism.  I’m proud to say the postal service shares those same values with you,” he said.

A new flag stamp each year has a different design.

This year’s version features the words “United States of America” in blue lettering below the flag and “Forever USA” in gray lettering at the very bottom.

This year’s stamp was designed by renowned artist Antonio Alcala from a picture of an American flag taken by Doug Haight, a professional photographer from Evanston, Illinois who grew up in nearby St. Joseph, Michigan.

“This is really cool for me in so many ways,” he said.

The flag stamp unveiling also included a presentation of the colors by the Three Oaks American Legion Post and singing of the national anthem.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte area man has been sentenced for dealing cocaine.

Aaron Fleck, 40, was given a three year sentence on work release, followed by three years on home detention and three years on probation Friday in La Porte Circuit Court for Level 3 felony dealing in cocaine.

Just over a year ago, Fleck was arrested during a traffic stop on E. Lincolnway in La Porte after more than two grams of cocaine were found in his vehicle.

Charges stemming from a large amount of methamphetamine and smaller amount of fentanyl allegedly in his vehicle were dismissed under terms of a plea agreement.

According to court documents, a notebook that seemed to be used to keep track of drug sales was also recovered from the Michigan City man's vehicle along with $240 in cash.

(La Porte, IN) - Sentencing has been held for a man in connection with a serious injury from an alcohol related motor vehicle collision in La Porte County.

Juan Perez-Hernandez, 42, was given two years in the La Porte County Community Corrections’ ScramX program followed by two years on probation Friday in La Porte Circuit Court for Level 5 felony operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury. 

The ScramX program involves the constant monitoring through technology of any alcohol consumption.  A violation could result in the La Porte man serving some of his sentence in prison.

Police said Hernandez in January crashed into a pole and tree in the 7600 block of West 275 North.  A man riding in his vehicle suffered a broken upper leg.

Police said Hernandez fled the crash scene on foot but was found a short time later with a blood alcohol level nearly four times the legal limit.

At the time, police said he had never obtained a driver’s license.

(La Porte County, IN) - Bobby Greer is no stranger to power lifting. He’s been competing, nationally and internationally, for years.

It appears his daughter is a chip off the old block. Greer’s 16-year-old daughter Ryli is now doing some heavy lifting. Last month the two of them competed in the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) world championships in Norway.

In February at a national bench press competition in New Orleans, both Greers qualified to advance. Last month the father-daughter duo competed in Drammen, Norway near Oslo.

At 43, Bobby says he’s still as competitive as ever, but his focus now is helping his daughter and carving out some quality time. “It’s more about her now,” he said. “How many dads can say that they get to go bench with their 16-year-old daughter, and they still want to hang out with them? I’m going to live this up as long as I can.”

Ryli, who just finished her junior year at New Prairie, agrees that bench press is a good way to bond with her dad. They work out together at Fitness Plus in La Porte as often as possible, which is tricky with Bobby’s work schedule. “He works a lot, and usually he’s working nights, so I don’t see him a lot,” said Ryli. “So when we’re lifting together, it just gives us time together. And not many people can say that they go to the gym and work out with their dad.”

The Greers get direction from a bench press coach in New Hampshire, but Ryli credits her dad for showing her the ropes. “He’s taught me everything I know,” she said. Bobby says Ryli has become dedicated to weightlifting, sometimes hitting the gym early in the morning before school. “Her work ethic is unreal,” he added. “We’re just so proud of her.”

Last year Ryli won a local bench press competition, then won her division at nationals, and placed 6^th at the world championships in Austin, Texas.

This year in Norway, Bobby said his daughter “moved up in the world,” literally. Ryli, who weighs 130, benched143 pounds, barely missing 154, which was good enough for 5^th place. Bobby put up 451 pounds, taking 6^th in his division.

The pair spent a week in Norway. They raised money for the trip by getting sponsorships and selling T-shirts proclaiming “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Bobby has competed abroad before, but this was the first time Ryli got to join him. “There were lots of different things to see. It was so different from America,” she said of the experience.

Ryli says with a little more training, she hopes to bench 160 pounds very soon and eventually hit 200. She and her dad are now training for the next national competition in February.

(Valparaiso, IN) - Police have arrested the man believed to be responsible for a deadly shooting earlier this week.

On Monday evening authorities responded to an apartment on Valpo’s east side, where they found 24-year-old Trayveon Triplett of Valparaiso dead from multiple gunshot wounds.

The suspect, 24-year-old Kuran Kinley of Highland, had fled the scene but was later located by police.

Kinley had an initial hearing Thursday and is being held without bond in Porter County Jail, with a jury trial scheduled for October. He is charged with murder, criminal recklessness, and unlawful possession of a handgun, since he has a previous felony conviction.

(Chesterton, IN) - The South Shore Commuter Rail line is looking to increase its prices. South Shore President Michael Noland made the announcement recently in an open letter following a meeting with the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s (NICTD) Board of Trustees. The rail line is seeking a 10% rate hike on one-way tickets, which Noland says is the first increase since 2018. He cited ridership losses since the pandemic and inflation exceeding 30% as reasons for the increase, which will go into effect next month.

On a positive note, Noland added that discounts have increased for 10-ride and 20-ride tickets. He also touched on other improvements that South Shore is making. You can read the entire letter below:

Dear South Shore Line Riders,

It’s been a few months since my last letter in November 2024, and we’ve made significant progress since then. Although safety is always our number one priority, we know how much performance matters. Our mission over the past year has been, daily, to earn your trust that your train will arrive at its destination on time. Our overall on-time performance, especially during our peak service periods, is nearing 90% on a regular basis, and we have numerous days without a single late train in these service windows. Our off-peak service is also performing well, although the results have not been quite as good. These trains are often impacted by construction projects, especially on the Metra corridor where both NICTD and Metra are investing heavily in major infrastructure improvement projects over the next several years. Our commitment to delivering on our promise to you, with respect to service reliability, has not wavered, and we will continue to find ways to improve.

At this past Wednesday’s meeting of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s (NICTD) Board of Trustees, we presented a request to increase our base fares on our one-way tickets by 10%. We made this recommendation to the NICTD Board, knowing that fare increases are never popular, and we always look to find ways to avoid implementing them for as long as possible. Our last fare increase was in 2018, and we put that increase in place to offset the additional costs of implementing the federally mandated Positive Train Control system. Since that time, we have experienced significant ridership losses and associated revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as inflationary pressures exceeding 30%. Because we have always operated on a very fiscally conservative basis and maintained appropriate cash reserves, we have been able to offset increases in operating costs and decreases in revenue.

However, without additional funding from the State, our ability to continue providing service was at risk. Our funding issues are not unique and are referred to across the country in the transit industry as the “fiscal cliff.” For NICTD, we would have hit this cliff sometime later this year or early in 2026. Fortunately, the State of Indiana recognizes the tremendous value that our passenger rail service provides and identified a funding solution to support our operations for the next couple of years. We will continue to work with our state partners on addressing our funding needs, and we are confident that a long-term solution will be identified. It is imperative in seeking this funding solution that the State knows that NICTD is doing everything it can to help resolve this issue including growing ridership, being operationally efficient, and maintaining an appropriate fare structure. When looking at our fare increase that will go into effect on July 1st, 2025, please note that we have increased the discounts on our 10-ride and 25-ride tickets from 5% to 10% and from 10% to 20%, respectively. We are closely examining ridership trends and know many of you who use our service to commute to work in Chicago no longer are in the office 5 days a week but rather travel downtown between 1-3 days per week. We are offering these increases to our multi-ride tickets to reflect these changes in work patterns and hope you will see value in these tickets.

Finally, at Wednesday’s Board meeting, I provided an update on the status of the start date for our new Monon Corridor (also known as our West Lake Corridor project) service, which was originally expected to start this month. Over the past year or so, we have been reporting to the Board and the public that the completion of a bridge under CSX Railroad at the Munster/Dyer Station area was causing a delay in the schedule, pushing back the start of service to the end of October. The good news that I reported at the Board meeting was that this new bridge structure was installed this week. Unfortunately, we have now discovered that a portion of the construction needs to be reworked to install low-voltage current isolation measures required by the contract. These measures are standard practices for electrified railroads like ours and are necessary to avoid potential corrosion to nearby utilities. We are currently in discussions with our contractor regarding the process to implement this corrective action, but we expect this required correction will delay the start of revenue service to at least the end of the year.

This delay to the start of the Monon Corridor service is truly disappointing news. Please be assured that we are doing everything we can to deliver this long-awaited project as quickly as possible, and we will update you on the status of the impact of the required rework as additional information becomes available.

As always, thank you for riding the South Shore Line.

Michael Noland

President

South Shore Line/NICTD

(La Porte, IN) - Lovers of Tex-Mex cuisine might want to gear up for the next event in the Friday Night Live series in downtown La Porte.

The popular annual Taco Fest will return on Friday, June 20, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

According to the mayor’s office, local taco vendors, a beer garden and a live performance by the Latin-American musical group, ”Latitude Music,” will be featured.

"The La Porte community shows up and shows out for Taco Fest every year,” said Gregor Pietsch, the city’s Civic Auditorium and Events Director.

“Knowing this, we’ve worked hard to ensure that this is our biggest and best year yet,” he said.

The event is made possible by Arnett Construction & Roofing, according to the mayor’s office.  For more information on this event and others, visit livinthelakelife.org.

(La Porte, IN) - Rich Shail, a volunteer coach and school board member seriously hurt in the New Prairie High School bus crash a month ago, said he was very happy by the judge’s decision today not to reduce bond for the man accused of causing the accident.

Shail made his way into the courtroom using a walker and wearing a back brace for a fractured vertebrae.  His other injuries included fractured ribs.

“I’m elated,” said Shail.

Lucas Halderman, a member of the team suffering just minor injuries, said he also totally agreed with the judge’s decision.

“100 percent,” he said.

Shail said he came to the courtroom for personal reasons mainly to see for himself that Shawn Akison is “kept accountable for what he did to us.”

He also said it was “shocking” to learn about Akison’s extensive criminal history.   In denying bond. Judge Julianne Havens cited primarily Akison's nine past mostly drug related felony convictions and 12 past misdemeanor convictions. 

Akison also has a pending drug possession charge in Lake County filed after he was stopped by Indiana State Police in January for driving recklessly, according to court documents obtained in that case.

LaPorte County Police are still waiting for the results of a blood test to determine whether Akison was impaired at the time of the school bus collision.

The most seriously injured, 16 year old Lucas Bradshaw, suffered brain damage and remains at Memorial Hospital in South Bend where he recently started undergoing speech along with physical and occupational therapy.

Another coach on the team is his father, Brad Bradshaw, who was left hanging in the air by his seat belt above Shail when the bus flipped on its side.

Shail said he was trapped and not able to help Bradshaw, who asked “where’s my son? I didn’t know,” he said.

Instead of getting off the bus, Shail said another player, Andrew Enders, came over and helped lower Bradshaw safely down while making sure “he didn’t drop him on top of me.   He was a hero.”

A number of fund raisers are being held in the community to help offset the ongoing medical expenses of Bradshaw, a member of 4-H and Future Farmers of America facing a long but still uncertain recovery.

“Everyone is continuing to pray for him.  Of course, we want the best outcome for Lucas. We just hope everyone else heals mentally and physically,” said Shail’s wife, Nancy.

(La Porte, IN) - A man accused of causing the New Prairie High School bus collision a month ago will not have his bail reduced.

The request by Shawn Akison was denied this morning in La Porte Circuit

Court.

Judge Julianne Havens said her decision was based on the defendant having nine prior mostly drug related felony convictions and 12 prior misdemeanor convictions.

Currently, Akison is in the La Porte County Jail on $15,000 bond on a Level 5 felony charge of criminal recklessness.

The junior varsity baseball team was heading to a game on May 8 when one of their mini buses was struck by a box truck allegedly driven by Akison.

Another mini bus in front of the bus hit first in the crash along with a semi-truck were also involved in the accident at U.S. 20 and Fail Road.

(Michigan City, IN) - Michigan City Police sacked the quarterback in terms of catching a man accused of stealing football cards.

This happened yesterday afternoon at Meijer.

According to police, responding officers contacted by loss prevention at the store were told by a witness she saw a fleeing suspect on foot jump into a nearby dumpster.

Officers went over, opened the lid and there he was kneeling in the trash, police said.

Three boxes of stolen football cards were recovered from a backpack the suspect tossed to the ground before entering the dumpster.

Daniel Moshier. 36, of Goshen is being held in the La Porte County Jail without bond due to warrants currently out for his arrest in St. Joseph and Elkhart counties.

Police said the football cards were valued at nearly $150.

(La Porte, IN) - A celebration event was held for lives to be saved from the 55 automatic external defibrillators provided this year by the Health Foundation of La Porte.

Each year, HFL provides grants for life-saving AEDs to ensure the La Porte County community has access to these devices.

HFL works in conjunction with La Porte County EMS, La Porte County E911, the City of La Porte Fire Department, the Play for Jake Foundation, and the La Porte County Health Department to make sure people suffering a serious heart event have the best chance at survival and help educate the community on the importance of AED maintenance and training.

On Tuesday, HFL celebrated the recipients of the AEDs this year and the expanded availability of AEDs in key locations in the community.

“We are so inspired by our community grantee partners,” said Jessica Mace, HFL Vice President.

Since 2017, HFL has awarded 310 AEDs, cabinets, and appropriate signage to the community, as well as grants to the City of La Porte, Michigan City, and Long Beach fire departments to provide community CPR/AED classes.

To date, HFL's investment totals $757,119 in AED and CPR-related grants.

This year’s recipients of AED grants were:

• Bethel A.M.E. Church
• Bethel Chapel
• Bethel Presbyterian Church
• Center Township Volunteer Fire Department
• City of Michigan City Department of Parks and Recreation
• Disabled American Veterans Chapter #23
• Fairgrounds Management and Events Corporation
• Holy Family Parish
• Hudson Township
• La Porte Community School Corporation
• La Porte County Family YMCA
• LaCrosse Volunteer Fire Department
• Nest Community Shelter
• Noble Township Volunteer Fire Department
• Paladin
• The Play for Jake Foundation
• Salem Church
• Scipio Township
• Scipio Township Fire Department
• South Central Community School Corporation
• St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish
• Town of Kingsford Heights Parks and Recreation
• Tri-Township Consolidated School Corporation

Defibrillation from an AED is effective in helping people survive sudden cardiac arrest.

(Michigan City, IN) - There’s nothing scarier, perhaps, than a drunk driver behind the wheel of a badly weaving dump truck.

That’s what Michigan City Police described as happening last night before a crash.

About 10 p.m., police were alerted by a motorist with a cell phone about an eastbound dump truck pulling a trailer swerving from lane to lane at various speeds on E. Michigan Boulevard.

A short time later, the dump truck wound up in a ditch at E. Michigan Boulevard and Johnson Road.

When officers arrived, police said Dan Carabine, Jr., 62, was trying to drive out of the ditch but his fast spinning tires were not gaining any traction.

The Michigan City man was arrested with an alleged blood alcohol level over two times the legal limit.

(La Porte, IN) - Vegetables will start emerging in some the brick planters in downtown La Porte in the coming weeks.

Seedlings are being put into the soil in nine planters along State St. east of Monroe St.

It’s a joint venture between the PAX Center, State Street Community Church and the city.

Jamie Buchanan, Executive Director of the PAX Center, along with Pastor Nate Loucks and Mayor Tom Dermody went out this morning with some of the seedlings.   

Buchanan said the public is welcome to pick vegetables to take home once they’re ready to harvest.

“We’re super excited about this,” she said.

Buchanan said there’s still room for volunteers to help with the effort and those wanting to get involved should message her at the PAX Center website on Facebook.

“I’ll be watching those closely and get you linked in,” she said.

The seedlings were grown by agriculture students at the Kesling school campus.

The PAX Center is heavily involved in feeding the needy through its pantry and community gardens on Jefferson Ave. and Brighton St.

(La Porte County, IN) - A bridge in La Porte County will be named after a judge still helping kids go to college even after she died over 30 years ago.

In 1990, Susan Hemminger became the first female judge in La Porte County history.

Before cancer took her life less than three years later at age 34, she used her assets to create a foundation for providing annual scholarships of up to $5,000 apiece for La Porte County students.  

La Porte County Deputy Prosecutor Atley Price, who helped get the scholarship fund started, said an average of eight to 12 scholarships are awarded by the foundation annually.

He asked the county commissioners yesterday for their support in naming the bridge after the late judge.

“We’re now rapidly approaching two million dollars in benefits for scholarships,” he said.

The commissioners voted in favor of the request.

The bridge to be named after Hemminger is on Michigan Boulevard in Michigan City over Trail Creek.

The naming of the bridge is under a program started several years ago to honor distinguished residents of La Porte County from the past.

One of the former residents, late Oakland A’s owner Charlie Finley, has a bridge on Johnson Road near the farm he used to live at with his name on it.

(Wanatah, IN) - A local high school girls’ basketball team will soon play on the same court as the Indiana Fever and, perhaps, meet Caitlyn Clark.

The team from Tri-Township was invited to play against another high school team from Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The players were also invited to stay and watch the Indiana Fever game that evening.

Tri Township Schools Superintendent Dr. Pamela Moore said she’s not sure if meeting Clark will happen for the players, but just competing on her home court and staying for the game should be thrilling.

“It’s pretty unique,” she said.

Clark has been out for nearly two weeks with a muscle strain in her leg but could return prior to the WNBA game on June 17.

Tri-Township will play Rising Sun from the southern part of the state at 2 p.m. 

Moore said the girls’ coach and the high school athletic director working connections with the Fever were able to make the event possible for the players.

(St. Joseph, MI) - Law enforcement officers in Michigan used pepper spray to stop several fights that caused a beach in Berrien County to close for the rest of the evening Tuesday.

About 8:30 p.m., officers responded to what was described as a “large disturbance” at Silver Beach in St. Joseph.

According to Berrien County Police, officers from other agencies were called to assist in dispersing the crowd, but several additional fights in the immediate area broke out.

Police said pepper spray was used against the individuals actively engaged in physical altercations.  Patrons were then ordered to vacate the beach, which was closed for the remainder of the evening.

Police said three adults were cited for misdemeanor disturbing the peace.  A warrant was also sought for the arrest of the instigator in the first assault captured on video by a bystander.

(Michigan City, IN) - A La Porte area man led police on a pursuit early today with a mailbox post stuck to his vehicle at twice the 30 mph speed limit down several city streets.

Christopher Heric, 42, is also accused of being impaired.

He’s charged in La Porte Superior Court 4 with five counts, including operating while intoxicated, resisting law enforcement and unlawful possession or use of a legend drug.

According to court documents, an officer just after midnight observed a car speeding on E. Barker Ave. in Michigan City.

While following the car, police said the driver failed to come to a complete stop for stop signs at about a half dozen intersections.

The vehicle picked up speed when the officer activated his flashing lights and siren, reaching 60 miles per hour before striking a mailbox and cutting through a front yard on Faulkner St., police said.

He soon pulled into a gas station on Woodland Ave. where he was ordered out of the car at gunpoint with the mailbox post under the front passenger side of the vehicle.

Police said 12 prescription pills were recovered from the car.  Heric had an alleged .132 percent blood alcohol content.

(La Porte County, IN) - An alleged shoplifter caught with more than 50 store items was hauled away to the La Porte County Jail last night.

Tadd Oeker, 49, is being held on $600 bond on a Level 6 felony theft charge filed in La Porte Circuit Court.

According to court documents, the Valparaiso man grabbed a backpack for sale at Love’s Travel Stop along U.S. 421 just south of Michigan City.

He placed merchandise such as dog treats, lighters, medication and condoms inside the backpack with the price tag still attached to it and left the store without paying a dime. 

Police said quick responding officers located Oeker still on the property and recovered all of the stolen items valued at nearly $600 from his vehicle.

(La Porte County, IN) - A suspected drunk driver is facing charges in connection with a brief high speed pursuit in northern La Porte County.

About a week ago, La Porte County Police said an officer spotted a speeding vehicle on 1000 North near Indiana 39. The officer turned around and caught up to the westbound vehicle paced at 80 miles per hour.

Police said the suspect picked up speed when the officer activated his flashing lights and siren but stopped a short time later.

Brett Grimes allegedly had a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit.

He’s charged with Level 6 felony resisting law enforcement and Class A misdemeanor operating while intoxicated.

Police said he’s also a suspect in a hit and run crash in the City of La Porte.  

(La Porte County, IN) - At least one person was injured in a fiery crash yesterday afternoon on Indiana 2 east of La Porte.

La Porte County Police said the crash involved a commercial motor vehicle and garbage truck.

Both eastbound and westbound lanes of the highway were closed from Fail Road to 300 East for several hours but reopened before dark.

So far, the extent of their injuries is not known.  Police have not released further details.

(Michigan City, IN) - More details from the investigation of a fatal and near fatal shooting of two brothers in Michigan City last week indicate there was a heated argument before the trigger started being pulled.

D’Marcus Thompson, 23, of Gary is charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with four counts, including murder and Level 1 felony attempted murder.

Treven Armstrong, 25, of Gary was killed while his brother, Christopher Armstrong, 24, of Indianapolis was transferred to Memorial Hospital in South Bend with life threatening injuries.

According to police reports obtained from the court, the Armstrong’s and a third brother went to a home on May 30 to record music in a studio in the basement of a home belonging to Thompson in the 1800 block of E. Michigan Boulevard.

The investigation indicates a pizza was ordered and one of the men began rapping in the recording studio when an argument started between Thompson and the oldest victim.

Police said the heated words appear to have been over an individual who’s incarcerated.  It wasn’t long before Thompson is alleged to have pointed a gun at the back of the head of the oldest victim and pulled the trigger.

Police said the man who was rapping took cover with more shots going off then heard the younger victim yell that he had been shot.

Thompson had a gun on his possession when located and taken into custody in the 300 block of S. Woodland Ave., police said.

The suspect was being held in the La Porte County Jail on one million dollars bond.

(La Porte, IN) - People will have a chance to ride on an over century old converted steamboat in La Porte.

Steamboat rides on Pine Lake have been added to this year’s LakeFest, which runs for three days beginning July 25.

The boat seating up to 18 passengers is a converted lifeboat from the SS Alabama, a steamship that cruised the Great Lakes from 1910 to 1946. The lifeboat was salvaged in 1961 when the SS Alabama started being converted for use as a barge.

A steam engine was put in the later restored lifeboat in 1998.

La Porte Park Department Superintendent Mark Schreiber said the boat will be towed to La Porte from Cedar Lake where it’s been used the past few years to give rides to the public.

“This is an opportunity not just to get out on the water by a pontoon or speed boat, but to actually be on something historic, something that has a lot of interest to it,” he said.

Schreiber said people will be able to board the steam powered vessel at Unity Park beside Pine Lake Ave. 

The cost for a 30 minute ride will be $25 for adults and $15 for children 13 and under.

(La Porte, IN) - Three schools in the La Porte Community School Corporation have been recognized by the Indiana Department of Education for their commitment to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

Crichfield Elementary School and Kingsford Heights Elementary School have earned full STEM Certification, joining over 100 Indiana schools recognized as leaders in innovative STEM education.

Kesling Intermediate School has been designated as "Developing" in STEM Certification, highlighting the significant progress the school has made in creating an engaging STEM culture.

La Porte Schools Superintendent Dr. Sandra Wood said the recognition of three schools from the corporation in a single year demonstrates the district's comprehensive commitment to providing students with cutting-edge educational opportunities that prepare them for future careers in STEM fields.

"This recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of our educators, students, and families," she said.

The Indiana STEM Certification program, created in 2015, recognizes schools that go beyond traditional classroom instruction to create innovative learning environments.

(Michigan City, IN) - A teenager left his high school graduation party with a friend then later both of them wound up in handcuffs for firing of gunshots in Michigan City.

Ryder Lechtanski, 18, and Lennon Houghtaling, 19, are each charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with Level 5 felony criminal recklessness.

According to court documents, Houghtaling on Saturday went to Lechtanski’s graduation party at his home just outside Michigan City on 300 North.

They later went to Houghtaling’s residence in the 400 block of Chicago St. on the city's west side. 

Police said an officer later responded to that area on a report of a gunshot fired then while at the scene heard another gunshot.

After determining the gunshot came from an upstairs apartment, officers after obtaining a search warrant went inside and found three loaded firearms, including an AR-15 style rifle, according to court documents.

Police said both suspects admitted to firing one shot each into the ground from one of the apartment windows.

(La Porte, IN) - A short stretch of Indiana 39 in La Porte will be closed temporarily starting next week.

According to the Indiana Department of Transportation, the two lane highway will be closed between the Indiana Toll Road and Tiffany Woods Drive beginning on Monday, June 9.

The highway will be closed through the end of June for work being conducted by the Indiana Toll Road.

Motorists should seek alternate routes. The official detour will follow U.S. 20 and U.S. 35, INDOT said. 

Questions, comments or concerns about the upcoming can be directed to the Indiana Toll Road at indianatollroad.org or by calling their customer service number at 574-675-4010.

(Michigan City, IN) - A local state lawmaker is accused by police of driving a motor vehicle while impaired from consuming a large amount of alcohol earlier this year.

The blood alcohol level of State Senator Mike Bohacek of Michiana Shores is alleged to have been over three times the legal limit following a January 24 traffic stop, according to recently unsealed police reports filed May 15 in La Porte Superior Court 4.

Formal charges against the 56 year old Bohacek have not been filed yet because no judge in La Porte County has agreed to review the findings and decide whether probable cause exists to issue a warrant for his arrest.

La Porte Superior Court 4 Magistrate John Link, La Porte Superior Court 2 Judge Richard Stalbrink, Jr. and La Porte Circuit Court Judge Julianne Havens have recused themselves from the case.

La Porte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said whoever agrees to review the case will most likely be a judge from outside Bohacek’s district to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

For same that reason, Fagan said he went to Porter County Prosecutor Gary Germann with the case to let his office decide whether the evidence was strong enough to present to a judge for a final determination.

“In order so that the public sees that there is no impropriety or appearance of impropriety,” he said.

Bohacek serves District 8, which includes parts of St. Joseph County,  most of La Porte County and Marshall County and all of Starke County.

According to court documents, police were called about a man later identified as Bohacek exhibiting signs of intoxication just before and while ordering food at Panda Express in the 5200 block of Franklin St. in Michigan City.

Responding officers were soon notified Bohacek left the restaurant in a 2023 Dodge Charger with an Indiana State Senator license plate attached to it.  An officer quickly spotted the vehicle turn right onto U.S. 20.

After the officer paced his car at 62 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone, Bohacek was pulled over, coming to a stop partially off the four lane stretch of highway, police said.

Bohacek denied consuming alcoholic beverages, explaining in a slurred speech he was coming back from Indianapolis and lacking sufficient sleep, according to court documents.  He was transported to a hospital where a sample of blood taken from his arm.

Test results from the Indiana State Department of Toxicology in Indianapolis later showed the sample allegedly contained a .283 percent blood alcohol content.

Police said Bohacek was not taken into custody because under the Indiana constitution senators and representatives except for treason, a felony or breach of peace are privileged from arrest during a session of the General Assembly.

At the time, the Indiana Legislature was in the first month of a four month session this year.  Bohacek was informed a warrant for his arrest would be sought once the legislation session was over.  He was then give a ride home by an officer, police said. 

If a judge finds probable cause, Bohacek would be charged with Class A misdemeanor operating while intoxicated.

Fagan said the case was filed for a judge’s review in mid-May because charges under the state constitution cannot be sought against a senator or representative until the legislative session is over for at least 15 days.

Bohacek, who’s been a state senator since November of 2016, is quoted by the Indianapolis Star as saying “I’m not going to comment on ongoing legal actions.”

(La Porte County, IN) - A sophomore at New Prairie High School still hospitalized from a school bus crash nearly a month ago is making small steps toward what seems to remain a long and uncertain bid for recovery.

While 16 year old Lucas Bradshaw, a sophomore at New Prairie High School, continued his fight, badly injured school board member, Rich Shail, achieved his desire of being present for Sunday’s graduation ceremony on the high school football field.

His wife, Nancy, said he was dropped off at the concession stand and navigated the few hundred feet to the stage wearing a back brace and using a walker without assistance.

“He made that a goal once he got released from the hospital.  I was definitely elated for him that he was able to be there,” she said.

Shail sat with other school board and staff members on the stage while Mrs. Shail was in the audience with other family members there for the graduation of her great nephew, Samuel Newman.

Bradshaw, a player, and Shail, who was also one of the coaches on the junior varsity baseball team heading to a game in Hobart, were on the same mini-bus in the May 8 crash involving another mini-bus and box truck at U.S. 20 and Fail Road north of La Porte.

The driver of the box truck, Shawn Akison, 41, of Romeoville, Illinois continued to be held Monday in the La Porte County on $15,000 bond for Level 5 felony criminal recklessness in connection with the accident.

A hearing in La Porte Circuit Court to decide his request for a bond reduction originally scheduled May 29 was pushed back to June 6.

According to his family’s most recent update on his condition posted May 28 on the CaringBridge site, Bradshaw’s brain damage was extensive enough for them decide on restricting his visitors at Memorial Hospital in South Bend to members of his family.

Visitors were still welcomed to gather with family members on the second floor.

Recently, Bradshaw was also removed from intensive care to begin undergoing daily physical, occupational and speech therapy, according to the family’s posts.

He returned to intensive care to recover from a May 27 cranioplasty, a procedure that’s done many times to repair or reconstruct damage to the skull.

After the surgery, Bradshaw was expected to be removed from intensive care again to resume his daily therapy sessions along with passive range of motion exercises a few times a day.

The family also reported Bradshaw moves his right arm, leg, toes along with his eyes and eyebrows and his left side extremities, which are a bit weaker from the trauma.

Among the other positive signs reported by his family is decreased swelling in his brain.

“If you know Lucas, you also know his strength and determination has always been one that cannot be reckoned with.  The kid is tough as nails,” the family stated.

Six other students and one other coach were injured in the crash. Except for Bradshaw, all of the people admitted to hospitals have since been released.  

Because of what everyone has had to ensure, Mrs. Shail said there were some emotional moments for her and her husband particularly at the singing of the National Anthem and the traditional playing of the Pomp and Circumstance music during the graduation march.

Shail is wearing a back brace to stabilize a fractured vertabrae so it can possibly heal without having surgery.  He also suffered broken ribs and other injuries. 

Mrs. Shail said her husband’s neurosurgeon following his last visit increased the time he has to wear the brace from eight weeks, originally, to 12 weeks.

“This is going to be a longer process and just take it a day at a time.  Most importantly, now, is to keep positive for everyone to heal mentally and physically and continue to get help they might need, especially for the players,” she said.

Akison is also being held on a warrant out of St. Joseph County charging him with Level 6 felony resisting law enforcement.

Police said he failed to stop for an officer trying to pull him over for reckless driving in the area of Indiana 2 and Timothy Road.  The pursuit was terminated at the La Porte County line just minutes prior to the crash.

Bradshaw, who’s family farms and raises show pigs, is a member of 4-H in St. Joseph County and was secretary during this past school year for the Future Farmers of America branch at the school.

In addition, he was among the members of an FFA small engines team at the school that placed seventh out of 34 teams in a recent state competition.

(Porter County, IN) - Both drivers of motorcycles were killed in a motor vehicle crash near Westville.

It happened early Friday afternoon on U.S. 6 in the area of White Thorne Lane in Porter County in Jackson Township.

Porter County Police said there was rear end collision between two passenger vehicles and the lead car after impact wound up in the opposite lane where it collided with both motorcycles.

The victims, Richard Dowding, 73, and William McCoy, 62, both of Portage were pronounced dead at the scene.

(La Porte County, IN) - An argument between a 21 year old man and teenage girl in La Porte County resulted in a motor vehicle crash and impaired driving arrest.

Caleb Austin of La Porte was booked into the La Porte County Jail on charges of operating while intoxicated, driving with a suspended license, domestic battery, criminal recklessness and leaving the scene of a crash.

According to La Porte County Police, Austin was a passenger at the time an argument erupted with the 17 year female driver, who was eastbound in the 4600 block of W. U.S. 20.

The investigation alleges Austin battered the driver then grabbed the steering wheel, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway.  The girl stopped the vehicle and stepped out.

Police said Austin got behind the wheel and fled then crashed into a ditch.

Austin fled on foot but was located walking about a half mile away along U.S. 20 and taken into custody, police said.

(Michigan City, IN) - An arrest has been made for a fatal shooting and near fatal shooting in Michigan City last week.

D’Marcus Thompson, 23, of Gary is charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with four counts, including murder and Level 1 felony attempted murder.

Police said the shootings happened Thursday night inside a home in the area of Michigan Boulevard and Dewey Street.

Treven Armstrong, 25, of Gary did not survive his wounds, police said.

Police said his brother Christopher Armstrong, 24, of Indianapolis was taken to Franciscan Health and  later transferred to Memorial Hospital in South Bend with life threatening injuries.

Thompson had a gun on his possession when located and taken into custody in the 300 block of S. Woodland Ave., police said.

According to police, multiple agencies responded after a 911 call was placed by an undisclosed male claiming someone was trying to kill him.

Thompson was being held in the La Porte County Jail on one million dollars bond.