(La Porte County, IN) - The La Porte County Sheriff’s Department is almost fully staffed. Three of the most recent hires come from diverse backgrounds.

Deputy Joseph Walker hails from Crawfordsville, Indiana. The other two were born in foreign countries. Deputy Pablo Pesa was born in Argentina and grew up outside Chicago. He also obtained a Master’s Degree in Government and Counter Terrorism in Irsael. And Deputy Jet Balenia grew up in the Philippines.

County Sheriff Ron Heeg says he’s always happy to welcome new officers, no matter where they’re from. “They obviously have a diverse background, coming from out of the country,” he said of Pesa and Balenia. “Both of them have come to the United States and have made productive citizens out of themselves. We’re very fortunate and very happy to have them on board here at the Sheriff’s Office.”

Heeg says family connections brought these officers to the area, but the recently raised police salaries didn’t hurt. Balenia worked for the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office previously, before transferring to another county.  Heeg said Balenia found “the grass wasn’t greener on the other side” and once salaries increased decided to come back.

Heeg said the effects of raising the local income tax for public safety have been quick and positive. “The raise was a two-fold event,” said Heeg. “One was to stop the bleeding, so to speak, to get the guys to quit leaving. Two was to seek and recruit the quality of personnel to get our staff up to full strength.”

According to Heeg, the Sheriff’s Office is now just one officer shy of a full department.

(South Bend, IN) - After over two years, the wheels have justice have turned full-circle on a grisly murder case in New Carlisle.

In January, Anthony Hutchens was convicted in the molestation and death of 6-year-old Grace Ross behind their New Carlisle apartment complex. The crime took place March 12th, 2021. Since then, attorneys for Hutchens, who was 14-years-old at the time, have tried to keep the case in the juvenile courts. Hutchens’ autistic mental condition was also used as a defense.

However, on Friday, Hutchens was sentenced to 55 years in prison for murder and 9 years for child molesting. He will continue serving time in juvenile detention. A formal review in a couple of years will decide his fate from there.

Jeff Kimmell, one of Hutchens' attorneys, explained that the sentence modification "doesn't necessarily mean that Anthony's going to be released at any particular time, but it offers the opportunity for him to get treatment and services."

(La Porte, IN) - In the upcoming May primary election, it’s a tale of two cities, two parties. In Michigan City, the ballot is heavily Democratic, while in La Porte it’s Republican seats that are being contested.

Five Democrats are vying for a chance to replace current Michigan City Mayor Duane Parry. And five seats on the Michigan City Common Council are targeted among twelve different Democrat candidates.

In La Porte, the competition is not as brisk, but is mostly on the Republican side. Three GOP candidates are running for the at-large Common Council position currently held by Tim Franke, and 5^th Ward Republican Laura Konieczny has a primary challenger. All other La Porte City races are unopposed.

Here is a complete list upcoming primary candidates:

Michigan City Common Council At Large

(D) Don Przybylinski

(D) Tim Bietry

(D) Bryant Dabney

(D) Vidya Kora

(R) Jason R. Straton

(R) Elizabeth “Liz” Bergeron

Michigan City Common Council – 1^st Ward

(D) Greg Coulter

(D) Rodney McCormick

Michigan City Common Council – 2^nd Ward

(R) John Haynes

(D) Daisy Lee

(D) Paul Przybylinski

Michigan City Common Council – 3^rd Ward

(D) Joseph S. Nelson

(D) Agnes Meer

Michigan City Common Council – 4^th Ward

(D) Katrina Davis

(D) Sean “Fitz” Fitzpatrick

Michigan City Common Council -5^th Ward

(D) Tracie Y. Tillman

Michigan City Common Council – 6^th Ward

(R) Socrates T. Gray

(D) Nancy Moldenhauer

Mayor of Michigan City

(D) Angie Nelson Deuitch

(D) Michael Mack

(D) Johnny Stimley

(D) Mark S. Yagelski

(R) Duane Parry

(D) Ron Meer

(L) Mike Walker

Michigan City Clerk

(D) Gale Neulieb

City of LaPorte Common Council At Large

(R) Lauren Huffman

(R) Tim Franke

(R) Evan Wooding
 

City of LaPorte Common Council – 1^st Ward

(R) Julie West

City of LaPorte Common Council – 2^nd Ward

(R) Karyl Machek-Feikes

City of LaPorte Common Council – 3rd Ward

(R) Drew Buchanan

City of LaPorte Common Council – 4^th Ward

(R) Roger A. Galloway

City of LaPorte Common Council – 5^th Ward

(R) Laura Konieczny

(R) Larry Pinkerton

(D) Joseph “Joe” Mrozinske

Mayor of LaPorte

(R) Tom Dermody

(D) Ron Zimmer

City of LaPorte Clerk-Treasurer

(R) Courtney Parthun

Kingsford Heights Town Council – 1^st Ward

(D) Brian Nurnberg

Kingsford Heights Town Council – 2^nd Ward

(D) Kari A. Moss

(D) Duane Arndt

Kingsford Heights Town Council – 3rd Ward

(D) Dennis Francis

(R) Lauri Enochs

Kingsford Heights Town Council – 4^th Ward

(D) Joe Atkinson

(D) Jeana Blake

Kingsford Heights Town Council – 5^th Ward

(D) Evelyn Ballinger

(Indianapolis, IN) - With thunderstorms brewing, Attorney General Todd Rokita is warning Hoosiers to be wary of scams. 

With Spring storms, scammers will be out in full force trying to con Hoosiers out of their hard-earned money, and calling it clean-up, repair, or rebuilding. 

“Hoosiers can protect their hard-earned money by asking questions, demanding a written contract, and doing old-fashioned research.  It can be tempting to accept help to fix damages to your home, but it’s crucial to take a step back and fully vet the contractor,”  Rokita said.  

Unfortunately, Rokita said too many con artists appear on people’s doorsteps, promise to make needed repairs and never return after given a down payment.

Rokita is sharing the following tips to help keep from becoming a victim to storm-chasing scammers: 

• Be skeptical of people promising immediate clean-up and debris removal.  
• Know that FEMA doesn’t charge application fees. If someone wants money to help you qualify for FEMA funds, that’s probably a scam. 
• Check out contractors’ reputations before enlisting their services.  
• Ask for IDs, licenses, and proof the contractor is both bonded and insured. 
• Get more than one estimate for work.  
• Don’t believe any promises that aren’t in writing.  
• Never pay by wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency, or in cash. 
• Don’t pay the full amount for the project upfront. 

Dealing with a disaster is never easy. But when scammers target people just trying to recover, the experience can become even more difficult. If you ever suspect a scam of any type, file a complaint at indianaconsumer.com or call Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office at 1-800-382-5516. 

(La Porte, IN) - The La Porte Urban Enterprise Association is sponsoring a workshop to review tax-saving incentives available to businesses located within the LaPorte Enterprise Zone.

Officials say instructions will also be given on how to complete the required forms and when they should be filed.

The workshop will be at 10 a.m. on April 13 in the Clear Lake Room of the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte at 140 East Shore Parkway. Steve McKinney, representing Indiana’s Department of Local Government Finance, will also provide information about the Investment Deduction Form EZ-2.

Various tax and financial incentives are available in LaPorte’s Enterprise Zone that impacts a business’s cash flow, with officials stating the incentives will be explained in detail.

All businesses within the Enterprise Zone are invited while businesses that have never used the incentives are strongly encouraged to attend the event.

To make a reservation for the workshop, businesses may contact the city’s Office of Community Development and Planning at 219-362-8260.

(La Porte County, IN) - She realized her childhood dream of becoming a Budweiser Clydesdale driver. Shelby Zarobinski no longer works for the self-proclaimed “King of Beers,” but she has nearly a dozen of her own Clydesdales the public is welcome to see periodically at her family’s five-acre farm in northern LaPorte County.

Currently, she’s building a house for herself and a barn to keep her Clydesdales on 12 acres across the street from the family farm near County Road 1000 North.

Zarobinski, 31, said she hopes to begin construction in August.

If being a Budweiser Clydesdale driver wasn’t high enough on the ladder, she’s one of nine board members governing the Clydesdale Breeders of the United States.

Her path to becoming a Clydesdale driver began in 2006 when she won a 4-H essay contest.  The top prize was a Clydesdale partially paid for by the LaPorte County 4-H Wagon Masters’ program. 

Over time, her herd, from breeding and with help from her parents and other family members, grew to the 10 mares and one stud that presently exist.

“It’s an addiction.  People are like, well, you can’t have just one,” she said.

Zarobinski said the newborns are kept to perform tasks at the farm while the rest are sold to people looking for Clydesdales to show or keep as a family pet and ride.

“The Clydesdales truly are a gentle giant. Really, really good temperament. Great to work with,” she said.

Once her Clydesdales are relocated to her property, Zarobinski said a neighbor renting the ground to raise corn and other crops will use the giant horses for plowing and other farming related chores, which was common practice in agriculture before the advent of machinery.

“We’re going to start actually using them for how they’re supposed to be used,” she said.

In 2013, Zarbobinski said becoming a Clydesdale driver was on her mind when she received her commercial driver’s license, which is required by Budweiser for the position. She then moved to Canada near Toronto with several friends and worked on a large farm for nearly a year showing Clydesdales, helping the owners with their seed business, and doing various farming-related jobs.

Zarobinski said her move back to the U.S. came after she noticed a job opening Budweiser posted for a Clydesdale driver and her application was accepted. She went to corporate headquarters in St. Louis for a few months before stationed at the beer maker’s West Coast Hitch in Ft. Collins, Colorado.

Soon, she was going to parades, festivals and activities tied to major sporting events like the World Series and Super Bowl to show the famous team of horses in the U.S. and Canada.

“We traveled everywhere west of the Mississippi,” she said.

She even traveled on a barge with the Clydesdales to Catalina Island off the southern California coast for two weeks of shows.  Zarobinski said she was in her fifth year as a Clydesdale driver when forced to leave because of all the events seeking Clydesdales being canceled during the worldwide pandemic.

She returned home and became a hazardous materials tanker driver for Airgas USA where Zarobinski is now an operator.

While she was away, Zarobinski said the family farm began having open houses and other occasional events like sleigh rides for people to see and experience the horses.  Once she moves across the street, Zarobinski said the openhouses will continue but she might have to reduce the size of her herd someday because of the demands of her new career.

She also wants to give her parents a chance to take a step back and spend more time with their grandchildren.

“I really thank them for the five years I was gone for continuing to breed, take care of the horses and sacrifice their time so I could live out my dream,” she said.

Grant Olson and Drew Flores threw a combined five inning one hitter, backed up by errorless defense and timely two out hitting propelling La Porte to a 10-0 five inning win over Hammond Morton. It was the 2023 home opener for the Slicers.

Olson cruised through the first four innings. He gave up a two out double in the first, the only hit of the game for Morton, and issued walks in the second and fourth innings. After the second inning walk to Evan Blankman, Olson promptly picked him off. The senior lefty struck out seven. Drew Flores pitched a perfect fifth inning striking out two.

The Slicer offense came to life after suffering a perfect game 1-0 loss to Penn on Tuesday.

Morton lefty Billy Vukobratovich struck out the side in the first inning only giving up a one out double to Carter Moses. The first would be the only inning LP failed to score.

Vukobratovich’s control deserted him in the second. He walked Tommy Samuelson and Kai Jones then hit Ryan Bruemmer with to load the bases. After striking out Drew Catron he issued a walk to Ben Dubbs scoring Samuelson for the first run. Leadoff man Kade Flores then hit a fly ball to short left field allowing Jones to tag up and score giving LP a 2-0 lead after two innings.

The Slicers broke the game open in the third sending 10 men to the plate and scoring six runs. RJ Anglin started the festivities ripping a single into left center. The ball was not fielded cleanly by Jacob Stepek and Anglin moved to second on the error. Jax Land hit a fly ball to center moving Anglin to third on a close play. Samuelson followed with another fly out to center and scoring Anglin to make it 3-0. 

La Porte’s bats came alive with the bases empty and two out as the next six hitters reached base. Jones singled and stole second. He scored on Bruemmer’s scorched double down the third base line making it 4-0. Catron walked before Dubbs knocked in Bruemmer with a base hit making it 5-0. Kade Flores was hit with a pitch to load the bases. Moses slapped a single to left center that easily scoring Catron and Dubbs. Coach Scott Upp saw a sloppy cutoff throw and sent Flores home to score. Anglin flew out to center to end the inning and the Slicers led 8-0 after three.

Alex Rodriguez came in to pitch for the Governors in the fourth. He got pinch hitter AJ Mrozinske to fly out to center and Samuelson to pop out to the first baseman in foul territory. Pinch hitter Brock Schultz drew a two out walk and stole second. He scored on Bruemmer’s single to make it 9-0 after four innings.

The Slicers made it a 10 run mercy rule win in the fifth picking up a run off of Morton’s third pitcher of the day Ivan Gallegos. Kelli Hay popped to short to start the inning. Kade Flores ripped a base hit to left center then stole second. Pinch hitter Thomas Hill hit a hard line drive right at the left fielder for the second out. Anglin walked before Mrozinske hit a slow roller toward the third baseman for an infield hit. The speedy Flores scored from second to end the game. 

La Porte pitchers have given up just one run and three hits in 12 innings so far this year and the defense has not committed an error. After striking out 12 times at Penn and adding three more in the first inning Thursday Slicer hitters only fanned one time in the final four innings. Seven different players had hits for LP in the game. Moses was 2-3 with 3 RBI. Bruemmer had a double and single in three trips scoring once and driving in one. 

Olson was the winning pitcher and was named the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game.

La Porte is scheduled to travel to Logansport Saturday for a doubleheader. First pitch at 10:00 AM Central Time. The next home game and DAC opener will be Tuesday vs Portage. First pitch at 4:30. All Slicer games can be heard on 96.7 the Eagle WCOE.

Photos courtesy of Angie Anglin.

(La Porte, IN) - La Porte has the potential to become a leader in the hospitality industry, according to internationally acclaimed Chef Marcelo Marino during his March 28th presentation in downtown La Porte.

"La Porte has all the ingredients to become a Hospitality Industry Leader in the region. The talent, the desire, the knowledge, and the passion are there. Together we can create wonderful experiences for our community,” he said.

Marino was the keynote speaker for the first Hospitality Excellence Series hosted by the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership in partnership with the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center and the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce. Marino is also a restauranteur and educator in what’s been, so far, a 35 year career in the industry.

He also emphasized the importance of businesses working together instead of seeing each other as competition and thinking outside the box for appealing to customers. 

“Chef Marcelo Marino is an example of what it takes to not only bring the hospitality segment together, but a community. We have great assets in our local restaurants, and we need to show them support. I hope the event along with his energy and excitement for our community galvanize our businesses to come together and work cooperatively,” said LEAP President of Business Services Mike Riehle.
 

The next session will be at Hotspot Café at 602 Lincolnway on May 9 beginning at 4:30 p.m., focusing on marketing and sales.

If you are a professional in the restaurant/hospitality industry and are interested in joining the Excellence Series, please reach out to Riehle at miker@laportepartnership.com to learn more.

(La Porte, IN) - The La Porte Water Department will begin its regularly scheduled water system flushing in the coming weeks, according to Water Superintendent Tim Werner.

Starting Sunday, Apr. 9th and continuing for the next three to four weeks, crews will be out to flush fire hydrants throughout the community Sunday through Thursday between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.

“Though some may see it as a nuisance, hydrant flushing plays a crucial role in maintaining our water system,” Werner said. “This process allows us to make notes on existing infrastructure and improve the overall quality of our city’s water, and we appreciate our residents’ patience as we work to continue providing high quality service to our community.”

Werner warned that during this necessary process, discolored or rusty water may occur in some areas. Though the water is safe to drink, discolored water in washing machines may affect clothing.

To avoid staining clothes, he said residents should check their water before doing laundry. Should clothes have some staining, avoid drying and call the Water Department for free rust removing solution.

Residents with questions can contact the Water Department at 219-326-9540.

(La Porte, IN) - There was a power line scare involving a La Porte school bus this morning, which prompted firefighters to respond to the area of Niesen and Warsaw streets on the city’s northeast side.

According to authorities, the bus was crossing the South Shore Railroad freight line tracks at about 7 a.m., only to then snag a low-hanging low voltage line after clearing the crossing. The line, ripped from a pole and snapped, then came to rest on the side of the bus and around one of the axles.

La Porte Fire Department Battalion Chief Doug Biernacki said there was also one student along with one aide on the bus.

“We advised them to stay inside the bus while we assessed the damage,” he said.

Nobody on the bus suffered any harm, and eventually the school bus was allowed to resume traveling once firefighters determined the line did not have any power running through it.

Biernacki said who the power line belonged to was not determined right away.

(La Porte County, IN) - A recent theft ring crossing state lines was found to involve the stealing of trailers and use of Facebook Marketplace to cash in by two men who are both currently in custody.

Jeffrey Glancy, Sr., 50, and Dustin Bush, 29, are each charged in La Porte Circuit Court with three Level 6 Felony counts of Theft.

According to court documents, Glancy and Bush stole three trailers during a recent two week period in La Porte County and one trailer in Michigan in the New Buffalo area.

At least one of the stolen trailers was sold using Facebook Marketplace.

In that case, police said the enclosed utility trailer was offered for $1,600 but sold for $1,100 after Bush and the buyer from Cedar Lake negotiated the final asking price.

The victim met Bush on March 8 at Country Acres Apartments in La Porte to retrieve the trailer.

Per authorities, the cases were solved from leads obtained during the New Buffalo area heist.  Police were able to identity two men captured by video surveillance stealing the trailer because of their criminal pasts.

Glancy, who has a history of burglary and theft, was released by the Indiana Department of Corrections last year.  Bush has mostly theft and drug-related convictions.

Bush was once charged with burglary after chased by police in La Porte from a burned out apartment in 2015.  The pursuit ended with an officer yelling at him to drop what was believed to be a possible weapon from his hand. The item turned out to be an elongated purple rubber sex toy allegedly stolen from the condemned residence.

The burglary charge was later dismissed.

(La Porte, IN) - The complete schedule of events slated for the third annual LakeFest in La Porte was announced today. LakeFest will run from July 28th-30th at Stone, Pine and Clear lakes. Watersports will be featured along with music, art and food.

"LakeFest is a manifestation of all that makes La Porte a unique place to live and visit, and its success over the previous two years is a testament to how this message has been received by the members of our community and beyond," said La Porte Park and Recreation Department Director Mark Schreiber.

Schreiber said there will also be multiple family-friendly events taking place at various locations around town throughout the weekend as in the past. He said highlights of this year's festival include P1 Aqua X Jet Ski races, live music, comedy shows, activities for kids, an artisan market by The Collective and outdoor recreational activities.

"We have some amazing performers and a few new attractions that are sure to make this year's event extra special,” he said.

For the full schedule and to learn more about individual events, visit laportelakefest.com.

Concert performers will be announced in April.

(Michigan City, IN) - Michigan City Police are turning to the public for help in a case involving gunshots striking three vehicles and a residence. Officers, at about 10 a.m. on Wednesday, responded to the 400 block of Hayes Avenue on a report of numerous gunshots fired from a moving vehicle.

Police said no one inside the home struck by some of the rounds were injured. There were also no injuries reported from any of the vehicles struck with bullets. Evidence was obtained from the crime scene but no arrests have been made.  The investigation, though, is ongoing.

Anyone with possible information that could be helpful to solving the case is asked to contact Michigan City Police.

Lead investigator Sgt. Lendell Hood can be reached at (219) 874- 3221 Ext. 1074 or by email at lhood@emichigancity.com.

Per authorities, ”We would also like to remind the public that you can contact us via Facebook Messenger, through our crime tip hotline number of 219-873-1488, or the WeTip Hotline for General Crime (800) 78-CRIME. You can always request to remain anonymous!"

Sheriff Ronald C. Heeg officially announces the recent hiring of three Merit Deputies.        

Deputy Joseph A. Walker, 44, began his employment with the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office on February 6th.  He was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana and is a 1997 graduate of Southmont High School.  Deputy Walker is a graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.  He is also an Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board Certified Instructor.  Deputy Walker is married, has two children, and resides in rural Scipio Township.

Deputy Pablo J. Pesa, 31,began his employment with the LCSO on February 20.  He was born in Argentina and is a 2009 graduate of New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Illinois.  Deputy Pesa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology from Indiana University.  In addition, he has attained a Master’s Degree in Government and Counter Terrorism from Reichman University in Herzliya, Israel.  Deputy Pesa is a graduate of the Indiana University Police Academy.  He is an Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board Certified Instructor and has also earned the following specialty certifications: Emergency Vehicle Operations Instructor, Law Enforcement Phlebotomist, Drug Recognition Expert and Master Taser Instructor.  Deputy Pesa is trilingual and fluently speaks Spanish and Hebrew.  Deputy Pesa is married, has one child, and resides in New Durham Township. 

Deputy Jet Balenia,34, was rehired by the LCSO and began his employment again on February 20 following a brief hiatus.  He was born in Talisay City, Philippines.  Deputy Balenia graduated high school and attended Colegio San Agustin in the Philippines.  In 2014, he obtained his U.S. Citizenship.  Deputy Balenia is a graduate of the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. Deputy Balenia is married, has two children, and resides in Lake County, Indiana.

“Please join us as we congratulate and welcome Deputies Walker, Pesa and Balenia to the LCSO.  We are very excited that Deputies Walker and Pesa have selected the LCSO to continue their law enforcement careers.  In addition, we are thrilled that Deputy Balenia has returned to the agency.  All three are doing very well and already making an impact with their peers in the Patrol Division,” Heeg said.

(New Buffalo, MI) - The New Buffalo High School girls’ softball season has been cancelled due to a shortage of players. NBHS Athletic Director Matt Johnson said the decision was made March 23rd after practice.

“We just didn’t have the numbers to be able to confidently field the team for the whole season,” he said.

Johnson said there were only seven or eight committed players showing up for every practice.  He said there were also no guarantees when two players from last year’s team would be physically able to compete due to injuries during the off-season.

The future eligibility of another player was also in doubt because of grades. The first game for the Lady Bison was supposed to be March 29 at Brandywine. Johnson said starting the season hoping to have enough players could have resulted in forfeiting a bunch of games.

“We needed to make the decision when we did so our opponents have the time to find other games,” he said.

Johnson said players on the team also have time now to play another spring sport if that’s what they wish to do. 

The plan is to field a team in future seasons by trying to increase turnout at the high school and in the youth leagues for children 14 and under. Johnson said youth league participation is high in the younger age brackets but starts tapering off some after 12.

“We just have to look and analyze to see where we’re missing that connection between when those girls stop playing and then we don’t get them at the high school level either,” he said.

(Valparaiso, IN) - A drag show planned near Valparaiso has been cancelled due to threats of violence.

The drag show was going to be part of the annual Halfway to Halloween market at the Porter County Expo Center in May.  Threats of violence started being received after a Facebook post revealed children under 12 would be admitted for free.

In a post on Facebook, organizers of the drag show said it’s unfortunate hate and fear still exists, and they don’t feel safe going ahead with the drag show.

Jennifer Ruth Green, a Republican who lost her bid for a seat in Congress in November, was happy with the decision judging by her social media post.

However, she condemned organizers for wanting to have a drag show in the first place, saying “please communicate that our children deserve better.”

The market is still on for May 20th without the drag show. 

The La Porte Baseball team felt that Penn, last year’s state champions and currently the #1 rated team in Indiana, was great. Tuesday night, they found out the Kingsmen were perfect. Adam Lehman for 5 innings and Dawson French, the final 2 frames, hurled a perfect game, retiring 21 straight Slicers in Penn’s 1-0 season opening winning over the Slicers. 

Senior RJ Anglin, who went the distance for the Slicers, wasn’t perfect, but pitched magnificently. He allowed just 1 run and 2 hits in the loss. The two hits accounted for the only two baserunners in the entire game. 

Anglin retired the first nine Kingsmen he faced through three innings. The only offense in the game came in the bottom of the 4th inning. Penn leadoff man Cooper Humes hit a ground ball double down the first base line. Cam Dombrowski failed on two attempts to bunt Humes to third before hitting a chopper to Slicer second baseman Kade Flores. La Porte got the out but Humes advanced to third. Anglin came up with a huge strikeout of the number three hitter Adam Lehman for the second out. Catcher Zach Peletier hit a hard grounder just out of the reach of shortstop Kai Jones to drive in the game’s only run.

Aside from lack of hitting, this was as well played a high school game that you will ever see. No errors were committed by either team and there were no walks or hit batsmen. The game was played in an unheard of one hour and seven minutes.

Anglin struck out seven in his 6 innings of work. Lehman fanned nine over five innings with French adding three more Ks in two innings of work. The closest LP came to a baserunner was a hard one hopper back to the mound by Flores that was caught in self defense by Lehman and borderline strikeout call on a full count to Ben Dubbs. Junior center fielder Ryan Bruemmer made the defensive play of the game, making a running over the head catch at the warning track in the second inning. Anglin was named the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game.

La Porte is scheduled to host Hammond Morton at Schreiber Field this after at 4:30.

(Michigan City, IN) - Driving without headlights on resulted in a Michigan City man being arrested for drunk driving again. Brenton Williams, 33, is charged with Operating while Intoxicated.

According to court documents, an officer before 11 p.m. on March 22nd spotted a 2013 Chevy Malibu on Franklin Street near Southwood Drive traveling without its headlights on.

The officer turned around and went after the driver, who continued northbound without his headlights activated before pulling over in the area of Franklin St. and Coolspring Avenue.

A computer check of his driving history revealed his license was suspended, not helped by Williams allegedly having a blood alcohol level nearly two times the legal limit at the time.

Police said the OWI charge was elevated from a Misdemeanor to a Level 6 Felony due to Williams having a prior conviction for driving impaired.  An empty bottle of rum was located in the vehicle.

(Michigan City, IN) - A man with guns and a woman teamed up to shoplift from Walmart in Michigan City but were caught with hundreds of dollars in stolen merchandise, in addition to various drugs like methamphetamine and morphine.

Those are the allegations filed against Mario Reyes, 35, of Valparaiso and Stephanie Godfrey, 32, from downstate Anderson.

According to court documents, they were stopped on March 21st after paying for just three items in the self-checkout. 

Police said Reyes served as a lookout while Godfrey placed store items into a buggy and the lining of a coat she brought into the store. Reyes was also found with three handguns located on both of his hips and mid-section.

61 individual items like clothing, jewelry, cosmetics and groceries, valued at nearly $600, were returned to the store.

(La Porte County, IN) - A convicted thief wanted by La Porte County Police is back in custody. Authorities say 50-year-old Jeffrey Glancy, Sr. was taken into custody just hours after help from the public was sought in locating the fugitive, found in a home in New Carlisle hiding underneath a basement stairwell.

Police say Glancy was wanted in both La Porte County and Berrien County, Michigan for stealing.  According to public records, Glancy has been to prison before for prior crimes like burglary and theft.

Apparently, he didn’t waste much time turning to crime again.  The Michigan City area man was released by the Indiana Department of Correction several months ago.

(La Porte, IN) - Cement continues to pour for extending the Chessie Trail into downtown LaPorte and some of the surrounding residential neighborhoods.

Currently, much of the work is occurring on 1st Street where sidewalks are being torn out and replaced with a 10 foot wide trail.

Nearly 30 trees along the route have also been removed to provide an open, smooth trail made of concrete for walking, jogging and riding bicycles.  Much of the cement poured Tuesday was on 1st St. near Indiana 2.

Mayor Tom Dermody said the extension reflects a commitment from his and past administrations to provide more recreational opportunities and promote healthier lifestyles through physical fitness.  Dermody said this and other trails built in recent years at Kesling Park and beside Stone Lake are also in response to public demand.

“They want more things to do. They want more trails.  We’re going to be a leader in the quality of life here in La Porte and we’re working at it every single day,” he said.

Presently, the 1.5 mile long Chessie Trail completed in 2019 runs from the east side of Pine Lake at Kiwanis Teledyne Park to NewPorte Landing.

The extension is about equal in length.

Once completed, the Chessie Trail will cross Pine Lake Ave. next to Lily Lake and head south into downtown on Lake Street and Tyler Street  The trail will then veer west onto 1st Street before ending at TransPorte, the city’s bus transportation service at 102 L Street

“It’s going to be a nice project,” said Code Enforcement and Street Department Director Jeff Batchelor.

Batchelor said there are few, if any, trees left to cut down for the trail extension.  About half of the trees removed were less than 10 inches in diameter with the largest measuring nearly 40 inches across, he said.

Batchelor said construction should be completed by no later than June 30th.

“They’re hoping to get it done sooner,” he said.

 

City Engineer Nick Minich said the cost of the trail extension is about $1.6 million.   

He said federal dollars are covering 80-percent of the expense under a program aimed at reducing motor vehicle use and better air quality. The remaining funds were from a grant by the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte.

Dermody said all of the existing trails are receiving very good use.

“We’re excited to continue this and it’s going to be fantastic,” he said.

According to a city website, the original stretch of the Chessie Trail was built on the former right of way of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway.  The railroad later referred to as the “Chessie System” brought freight into and out of La Porte from the late 19^th century until the line was abandoned. The line also served the former Allis Chalmers farm equipment plant, which closed down in the 1980’s.

(La Porte, IN) - A Union Mills woman allegedly fled after caught shoplifting at Rural King but was quickly located and placed into handcuffs.

Shannon Vandusen, 46, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Theft, Possession of Methamphetamine and one other count.  She’s also being held for authorities in St. Joseph County where she’s wanted on several mostly felony warrants.

According to court documents, Vandusen on March 22nd went inside a changing room at the store on the city’s west side and began concealing various articles of clothing inside of her coat. She had been in the changing room for a lengthy period of time when the store manager knocked on the door.  Vandusen responded she would be out “in a minute," but was still inside about 20 minutes later when the store manager approached the changing room a second time. 

Police said Vandusen stepped out and walked to the center of the store before running out the exit doors and fleeing eastbound on Indiana 2 in what was described as a Cadillac Escalade. Ripped merchandise tags were found behind the mirror inside the changing room along with empty clothes hangers.

The suspected getaway vehicle turned southbound on Clay Street before it was stopped in the 400 block of Harrison Street.  Police said Vandusen was wearing a coat that contained various pieces of clothing such as shirts, hats and a scarf. The items were apparently stuffed through a cut in the pocket used to hide the merchandise in the lining of the coat. In addition, she was also wearing a stolen pair of Wrangler jeans.

Vandusen was found with less than a gram of methamphetamine at the La Porte County Jail.  Another small amount of the drug was located in the vehicle.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man allegedly went inside a home making threats with a gun.

Johnathan Sindone, 27, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Unlawful Carrying of a Handgun and Theft, both Level 5 Felonies, and Class B Misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct. According to court documents, police were called Sunday to a home in the 1200 block of Michigan Avenue in La Porte. Sindone allegedly went inside the home with a loaded gun claiming he was going to “shoot somebody.”

As a precaution, police officers closed Michigan Avenue in both directions and ordered Sindone spotted through a second story window to come out of the residence. He complied and officers slowly approaching placed in handcuffs on the front porch, according to court documents.

Sindone, who was recently evicted from a home in the 500 block of Maple Ave., was yelling obscenities but kept shouting despite orders to stop. The loaded gun Sindone took inside the home was found on the second floor.  It was against the law for Sindone to have a gun due to a prior felony conviction, authorities said. The gun was reported stolen out of Allegan County, Michigan.

A woman inside the home was hiding when learning Sindone had come into the residence.

(La Porte County, IN) - Election workers in La Porte County could receive a pay increase.

Clerk Heather Stevens told the La Porte County Council last night that wants to increase the pay of early voting election workers from $13 to $16 an hour, in addition to giving Election Day workers a flat $50 increase. Currently, Election Day inspectors are paid $200, lead judges $180, and everyone else $150 for what turns out to be a 13 hour day, she said.

Stevens said efficiences have been found to reduce the amount of election workers at some voting locations without a pay hike increasing the cost of running an election.

“I can increase the pay and still save money at the very same time,” she said.

The council, which oversees the finances of county government, advised her to seek approval for the pay increase from the La Porte County Election Board.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man traveling at highway speeds on a two lane, curvy road outside La Porte was arrested last evening for driving impaired.

Spencer Wiggins, 50, of Michigan City is charged with Operating while Intoxicated and Driving on a Suspended License. According to La Porte County Police, he was westbound on Johnson Road near 500 West when clocked at 77 miles per hour, the specific stretch of road having a speed limit below 45 mph.

Wiggins claimed at the time to have consumed two beers at a friend’s house in La Porte. However, he had an alleged blood alcohol level of .104-percent, or slightly above the legal limit. Wiggins was also cited for Speeding.

Per authorities, traveling that fast on Johnson Road is particularly dangerous because of the homes and curves in spots, along with the center lines being faded and difficult to see especially at night.