(Michigan City, IN) - Experts estimate a local economic impact of about $30 million from the Great Lakes Grand Prix in Michigan City. But one organization in particular has seen a direct impact from one of the boat racers.

Located not far from where the races are held, the Washington Park Zoo announced that racer Billy Mauff has supported them once again, this time with a $12,500 contribution. Mauff has made similar donations in past years to fund projects. According to the zoo, recent donations enabled them to enhance the Predator Ridge habitats and the Grey Wolf exhibit, as well as take in two confiscated rescue Canadian Lynx this year. He also helped build the Big Cat Canyon lion and tiger exhibit.

For many years, Mauff has rescued huskies, whose names he displays on the side of his #5 bright yellow boat.

Known as “The Plumber” because he owns a union plumbing company in Long Island, New York, Mauff has seen hall-of-fame-worthy success in his 50-year career, winning 18 world championship titles and nine national titles.

The Washington Park Zoo is grateful that Mauff’s love of animals is as great as his passion for racing. “Billy’s commitment to the Washington Park Zoo goes beyond financial support— it reflects his deep passion for animal welfare, conservation, and enriching our community,” the zoo said in a statement. “Every gift he makes directly benefits the animals in our care, allowing us to provide engaging environments where they can thrive and inspire all who visit.”

(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City man is facing felony charges, including two counts of Attempted Murder, following a shooting last month.

According to police, around 8:20 am on July 11, officers responded to Franciscan Hospital for a person with an apparent gunshot wound. The victim told police that sometime overnight he had been in a parked white 2027 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the BP gas station on East Michigan Boulevard while a female companion entered the store. While leaving, the victim said he heard two or three gunshots from an unknown assailant, along with shattering glass. He told police he was unaware of his injury, a bullet graze to the head, until later.

After studying surveillance footage, investigators determined that a gray Buick sedan had pulled alongside then in front of the Jeep. A light-skinned black man went to the Jeep’s driver’s side brandishing a handgun. As the SUV pulled away, the assailant fired shots, shattering the Jeep’s back window. Police said another black man exited the back of the Buick, grabbed a gun from a front passenger and chased the Jeep.

Police used Flock technology to identify the vehicle and the primary shooter, 24-year-old Daryl Rhodes II, who was later taken into custody. Further review of surveillance video allegedly detected a woman in the vehicle saying, "OC, why are you doing stupid sh--?" Police said Rhodes is known to go by the nickname O.C. Charging documents did not mention the identities of the others involved, but police allege, based on previous evidence, that the woman in the vehicle with the victim has been in an on-and-off-again relationship with Rhodes.

Rhodes is currently charged with five felonies, including two counts of Attempted Murder, Aggravated Battery, Criminal Recklessness, and Unlawful Carrying of a Handgun. He had an initial hearing last Tuesday in La Porte Superior Court 1, where a $100,000 cash bond was set.

(Michigan City, IN) – The weather didn’t cooperate with powerboat racing in Michigan City this weekend, but it wasn’t a complete washout.

Rough waters made for some Dukes of Hazard-like racing on Saturday, with four boats going down in the water. Race organizers weren’t about to risk injuries when conditions were even worse Sunday, so they cancelled racing for the day. Waves six to nine feet high posed too great a danger for racers and first responders alike.

Jack Arnett, CEO of the La Porte County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said it had to be done. “I was really relieved when they called it,” he said. “If we had tried to race on Sunday, there would have been a chance for injury, and we don’t want to push that at all. It was the right call, not a hard call at all.”

Arnett said in 17 years of powerboat racing in Michigan City, this was only the second time that races have been cancelled.

Despite some rain, Saturday night’s boat parade went on as planned, and Arnett said there was still a good crowd at the lake Sunday enjoying themselves. “From a local standpoint, we got in a good week of activities,” Arnett said. “A lot of folks visited, there were 80 race teams that visited our community and spent a lot of money, so there’s still an economic impact.”

Racers didn’t seem too disappointed and had some thrills while racing lasted.

Mike and Sarah Howe operate Howe2Live Racing out of Biddeford, Maine. Despite Sunday’s disappointment, they said Saturday was one of the best days of offshore racing their team has ever had, especially considering a serious mechanical issue which they dealt with earlier in the week.

Mike said he nearly got seasick while circling in the choppy waters prior to the race. Sarah, who was filming the action from shore, said all the boats were disappearing in the waves. During the race, Mike said his boat hit a wave and went vertical. Luckily Howe landed flat, but the racer behind him rolled over.

According to Howe, super catamaran powerboats don’t flip easily, but on Saturday, they could hardly make a full lap without someone overturning.

The Howes were impressed with Michigan City Grand Prix. “This has got to be one of my favorite venues,” Sarah said. “The fans have been awesome, the race organizers have been awesome. All the food and merch trucks that are right here in our pits, all the events that they arranged for us. I mean, really, it was so well done.”

“But at the end of the day, Mother Nature is going to do what She’s going to do,” Mike added.

(La Porte County, IN) - The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is losing a loyal officer to retirement.

The department has announced that K9 Bosco, effective July 28, has ended his policing duties and will focus on a perhaps more important career path.

Bosco, a ten-year-old Belgian Malinois, joined the force in 2018 and has put together one of the most impressive careers in department history. Known to many as the “Million-Dollar Dog,” Bosco has earned a highly respected reputation throughout the Midwest in the area of highway interdiction. If Bosco had a baseball card, the back of it would showcase some hall-of-fame numbers:

- Drug-associated currency seized: $3,378,477
- Cocaine/Crack Cocaine: 55.66 kilograms
- Methamphetamine: 173.73 kilograms
- Heroin: 10.37 kilograms
- Fentanyl: 12.59 kilograms
- Marijuana: 2,093.49 pounds
- THC cartridges: 5,113

- 13 one (1) ounce gold bars
- Vehicles seized: 2

According to a LPCSO statement, discussions began earlier this year about retiring Bosco, who had previously transitioned to a single-purpose narcotics detail. Although still performing at a remarkably high level, Bosco had begun showing subtle signs of aging.

His handler, Deputy Jon Samuelson, agreed this spring to take on another K9 partner.

Then May 22nd happened.

Samuelson was shot three times and critically injured during a violent encounter in the emergency room at Franciscan Health in Michigan City. According to Sheriff’s Captain Derek Allen, Samuelson was on his way to training that day, and Bosco was not with him.

The faithful K9 was able to visit Samuelson in the ICU and has been cared for recently by other members of the department. Now Bosco is ready to focus on just being a member of the Samuelson family.

(Cass County, IN) - A juvenile drowned in a Cass County swimming lake over the weekend.

On Saturday evening conservation officers received a call about a missing swimmer near France Park west of Logansport. According to initial reports, a group had been swimming near a deeper section of the lake. Three individuals entered an area where they could no longer touch the bottom and began struggling to stay afloat. Bystanders assisted two of them back to shallower water, but one juvenile did not resurface.

A short time later, a recreational diver located the juvenile, unresponsive, in the water. Lifesaving measures were immediately initiated but were unsuccessful. The juvenile was pronounced dead at Logansport Memorial Hospital.

The incident is still under investigation.

(Starke County, IN) - SR 39 South of La Porte is getting lots of attention from the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Starting today crews are sealing a stretch of 39 south of U.S. 30 and also just south of North Judson. That work will take place for most of the week. INDOT is encouraging local traffic only.

Right in between those work zones, SR 39 in Starke County will be closed for nearly two months starting today. The closure is between SR 8 and C.R. 50 S. That’s a couple-mile stretch west of Knox.

Work will be ongoing through late September for a bridge deck overlay maintenance project over the Yellow River. The official detour will follow SR 8, U.S. 35 and SR 10.

(South Bend, IN) - Operators of a Michigan City-based internet company have been sentenced in federal court for fraud.

Matthew J. Kawa (48) of Grant Park, Illinois, and his sister Jennifer L. Stechkober (32) of Michigan City were sentenced in South Bend’s U.S. District Court after pleading guilty to selling unapproved drugs and misleading the public.

The pair ran Paradigm Peptides, an online distributor of performance enhancers. The company claimed to be FDA approved, selling safe, pure, and tested products. According to federal prosecutors, this was not true. Investigators say their products contained known and unknown substances that were illegally imported from China, India, and other countries.

Consumers reported severe negative effects on their physical and mental health. In particular, the products reportedly caused skin irritation and chronic acne, drops in natural testosterone requiring testosterone replacement therapy, cardiac health issues, as well as stress, anxiety, and other psychological issues, even leading to suicidal tendencies.

U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred said the company’s fraudulent activity was as extensive as it was dangerous. “Stechkober worked in the business’s location in Michigan City,” said Mildred, “where they packaged and shipped products to customers. Kawa continued to sell these products online despite receiving letters in 2020 and 2022 from the FDA warning him that he was marketing and selling unapproved drugs in violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. From 2019 to 2024, he sold products to more than 54,000 customers in each of the 50 United States and throughout more than 80 countries worldwide.”

This case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. “The FDA’s requirements help ensure that individuals receive safe and effective drugs. Evading the FDA process and distributing unapproved drugs to consumers poses a serious risk to public health and safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Chicago Field Office. “FDA will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who traffic in unapproved drugs.”

Kawa was sentenced to 70 months of prison followed by one year of supervised release. Stechkober was sentenced to 16 months of prison followed by one year of supervised release. Both defendants were ordered to pay $78,317.52 in restitution. The Court also entered a money judgment against Kawa in the amount of $5 million, equal to the company’s proceeds from the illegal sales.

(Elkhart County, IN) - A veteran dating back to the time of the Revolutionary War has been honored in northern Indiana.

William Tuffs is the only known Hoosier to have taken part in the Boston Tea Party. Of course, Tuffs wasn’t a Hoosier at the time he protested against British taxation on December 16, 1773. Born in Boston, Tuffs was a 23-year-old working with his father as an innkeeper when he took part in the historic event. He later recounted that he disguised himself by sticking feathers in his hat and smudging his face with paint. His job was to assist in lifting the chests from the cargo hold to the other participants above deck.

Tuffs went on to serve in the Revolutionary War. Somewhere along the line, he moved west to Elkhart County, Indiana, where he lived out the rest of his days on a farm near Middlebury. Today the William Tuffs Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Elkhart carries on his memory.

Recently at the cemetery in Bristol where Tuffs is buried, representatives from the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum paid a visit to place a commemorative marker on his grave. The museum has set more than 120 similar markers at sites across the country since 2018.

(Walkerton, IN) - A manufacturing facility in Walkerton is closing.

Company leaders at Owens Corning have notified the town that their plant there will permanently close, at the cost of about 130 jobs. According to Owens Corning, layoffs will begin on September 19 and continue through October, as operations at the facility wind down.

No reason was given for the shutdown. The Walkerton Owens Corning plant is a non-union facility.

(La Porte County, IN) – The Indiana Department of Transportation is still gathering public feedback on the future of State Road 2 in eastern La Porte County.

They are studying the highway corridor on SR 2 between US 20 and 31. That’s the 13-mile, highly-trafficked area from Rolling Prairie past the Amazon data center site. Planners are looking to talk to residents and local stakeholders to help identify current needs and future vision for the corridor.

An initial meeting took place in June. Now INDOT is hosting community office hours, which they say will play a critical role in the study, allowing the public to ask questions, share insights, and speak one-on-one with members of the study team. These public feedback sessions will lead to a final study due out in early 2028.

The community office hours for August are as follows:

Saturday, August 1
Summer Blooms Market
2455 E State Road 2, Rolling Prairie, IN 46371
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET/ 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT

Tuesday, August 18
St. Joseph County Library - Western Branch 
611 S Lombardy Dr, South Bend, IN 46619
12 to 2 p.m. ET / 11 to 1 p.m. CT

Tuesday, August 18
New Carlisle Olive Township Library
408 Bray St, New Carlisle, IN 46552
3 to 5 p.m. ET / 2 to 4 p.m. CT


Community members are also encouraged to submit questions and comments online anytime through the study website at ProPELSR2.com/contact. 

(New Buffalo, MI) - Quillbacks is the nickname for a team of potential major league baseball prospects to play in New Buffalo starting next summer.

The Dune Coast Quillbacks will play about 40 home games at the new high school baseball field that recently had lights installed and, soon, grandstand seating.

The nickname and logo of the team were unveiled Thursday night under the lights after about two dozen children took part in on the field activities like hitting.

“It’s going to be awesome out here.  Very nice for New Buffalo,” said Sarah Nelson of La Porte.

She came with her two travel ball-playing sons, ages 10 and 11.

The Quillbacks are the 27^th team now in the Northwoods League, which has had over 400 players make it to the major leagues since established in the early 90’s.

Co-Owner Brian Williams of New Buffalo said Quillbacks represent the porcupine, which once flourished in the area but are more common now further north.  He said native Americans in the area once revered porcupines for their "resourceful survival in the wilderness" and "their unique ability to defend themselves without initiating contact.  To them, the animal symbolized humility, playfulness, inner resilience and trust." 

“We feel the uniqueness of this, the brand and the logo stood out as we further developed each concept,” he said.

According to history, native americans used the bristles in porcupines in their head dresses and for other things like managing various hair styles.  

Grandstand seating with about 500 chairs like the ones used in minor and major league stadiums will be added in the fall along with bleachers.

The team is hoping to draw fans from as far north as St. Joseph and Benton Harbor and to the south and west in cities like La Porte, Michigan City, Chesterton and Valparaiso.

(Porter County, IN) - A woman is being held without bond on allegations of stabbing her father to death and cutting out his heart near Valparaiso.

Serena Dolnics, 32, of Wheatfield is charged with murder.

Authorities said her 69-year old father, Gregory Dolnics, was stabbed multiple times Sunday at his home.  His heart was cut out and found on his stomach.

According to authorities, the discovery was made during a search of the home by police after his daughter reportedly showed up at a friend’s house covered in blood. She’s being held in the Porter County Jail without bond to await the outcome of the case.

(Porter County, IN) - A Michigan City man was killed by a fallen tree.

Emergency responders just before 2 p.m. Wednesday were called to the 200 block of Furnessville Road just north of U.S. 20 about seven miles west of Michigan City.

Porter County Police said Marco Katic, 65, had his head pinned underneath a large fallen tree.  A man with a chainsaw discovered Katic and sought the help of three men nearby who came over and tried lifting the tree off the man without success.

The Hispanic man who found Katic was trying to cut a small piece off the tree but fled when one of the other men called 911.  Katic was pronounced dead at the scene.

(Westville, IN) - A barbecue grill is believed to be the cause of a fire this morning in Westville.

Firefighters about 6 a.m. responded to a home on County Road 250 South.  A barbecue grill left unattended is suspected to be the cause from ashes dropping on the wooden deck.

About one-fourth of the deck was charred while heat from the fire melted some of the siding on the garage.  Fortunately, the flames were put out without much, if any, damage to the house.

(Vincennes, IN) - An Indiana farmer is urging Congress to solve a longstanding labor shortage in agriculture.

Brady Mouzin, an Indiana Farm Bureau member from downstate Knox County, expressed his thoughts in an op-ed released by Indiana Farm Bureau.

“If you’ve ever bought a cantaloupe at the local farmers market, picked up a watermelon for a Fourth of July cookout, or poured milk over your kids’ cereal before school, you’ve seen the work of Indiana agriculture up close. 

What many people don’t see is how hard it has become to find the workers needed to grow, harvest and care for the products families count on every day.  That is why Congress needs to pass H.R. 9535, the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act.

Finding dependable agricultural labor is not a new problem. Farmers have been dealing with labor shortages for years, while Washington has kicked the issue down the road. It’s been 40 years since Congress last passed major agricultural labor reform. In that time, farming has changed, but our labor system has not kept up.

Here in Indiana, that disconnect is real. Our farmers grow fruits and vegetables, raise livestock and operate dairies that need dependable help day in and day out. Crops don’t wait when labor falls short. Neither do animals.

Many farmers rely on the H-2A visa program to hire the agricultural workers they need, but the current system is expensive, slow and built mostly for seasonal agriculture. Use of the H-2A program is already up 17% for 2026 while fewer than 0.07% of those jobs received a domestic applicant. That tells you something important: farmers are not passing over willing American workers. They just aren’t applying.

The current H-2A program also comes with steep costs. Farmers must pay for housing, transportation, paperwork and government-mandated wages. One major problem is the wage formula known as the Adverse Effect Wage Rate. Over the last decade, that wage rate has risen by 60%, compared to 49% growth in private-sector wages. Farmers can’t just raise prices to make up for the difference. We sell into markets where the price is often set for us.

The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act would help control labor cost spikes by capping year-over-year wage increases and stopping mid-contract wage changes. It would also modernize the application process and create a simpler system for farmers and workers to navigate.

Just as important for Indiana, the bill would expand access for year-round agriculture, including dairies and livestock operations.

There have been some loud voices that accuse this bill of granting “amnesty.” It does not. Amnesty is a political talking point. This bill is about legal workers, legal visas and a more dependable legal process for the farms that feed this country. It does not erase the law. It strengthens a lawful system that agriculture desperately needs.

This is not a partisan issue. It is a food issue, an economic issue and a rural community issue. In Indiana, we know that food security means national security, and if Congress wants to support American-grown food and protect family farms, it needs to act.

Hoosier farmers are not asking for a shortcut. We are asking for a system that works.

For the sake of my farm and farms like mine that depend on reliable agricultural labor, this reform can't wait another 40 years. Pass the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act,”

Mouzin is a fourth generation farmer whose family raises a variety of specialty crops that include watermelon, cantaloupe, sweet corn, pumpkins and squash.

(La Porte County, IN) - Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews will conduct seal coat operations on two stretches of Indiana 39, including one stretch in La Porte County.

According to INDOT, scrub seal operations on the highway will first occur on between U.S. 30 and Indiana 8 for approximately one day on or after Monday, August 3.

State Road 39 will then be scrub sealed between State Road 10 and State Road 14 in Starke and Pulaski counties over the course of approximately two days starting on or after Wednesday, August 5, INDOT said. 

Work will occur during the hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes while seal coat operations are underway, but traffic will be escorted through the work zones for local access. Wait times of 15-20 minutes should be expected, according to INDOT.

(Michigan City, IN) - Nobody was injured but cats were rescued from a house fire in Michigan City yesterday.

This happened on Hillcrest Road just before 5 p.m.  Michigan City Fire Department spokesperson Tia Eckwood said the fire started in the kitchen, resulting in heavy smoke and fire damage.

Nobody was home at the time.

Eckwood said three cats were rescued and one had to be revived.  The cats were taken to an animal hospital for further care.  So far, no light has been shed on the cause of the fire, which was on the city’s southeast side.

(La Porte, IN) - A man left a local hardware store twice without paying for hundreds of dollars and more in merchandise.

Now, he’s looking at potential time in prison.

Donnie James, 30, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with two counts of Level 6 felony theft.

On July 11, police said he stole several spools of wire from Kablein Ace Hardware on E. Lincolnway.  Two days later, the La Porte man allegedly stole more spools of wire along with a few hundred dollars in tools from the same store.

According to police, James was last seen leaving in a maroon colored sedan after the first theft and a black SUV following the second heist.

Police said investigators identified James from store surveillance video.

He was taken into custody Monday by Michigan City Police on a warrant issued for his arrest.  The stolen goods were valued at nearly $2,000.  He could face anywhere from a six month to 30 month sentence on each count.

(La Porte County, IN) - A stretch of highway in La Porte County has reopened.

U.S. 35 was closed from State Road 39 to U.S. 20 the past few weeks for a structure replacement.

According to state highway officials, repaving that stretch of U.S. 35 will begin tomorrow, depending on weather.  Flaggers will direct traffic where the paving is occurring.

(La Porte, IN) - A man whose car broke down in La Porte went straight to the police for help after allegedly consuming too much alcohol.

Marcus Cain, 41, of Michigan City is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with operating while intoxicated and possession of cocaine.

Police said Cain walked a few blocks to the police station on July 25 after his pink Chevy sedan broke down on Indiana Ave.  An odor of alcohol on his breath resulted in a test showing him allegedly with a blood alcohol level just above the legal limit.

Police said a plastic bag containing a small amount of cocaine was later recovered from his vehicle.

(La Porte County, IN) - Traffic was restricted on a local highway late this morning due to an accident involving a semi-truck.

Police say the westbound lanes of U.S. 20 were closed in the area of County Road 300 West near Springville just after 11 a.m.  The semi was reportedly hauling a steel coil.

We’ll provide more details once they’re made available.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man is accused taking sexually suggestive pictures and videos of a teenage girl without her knowing about it.

Timothy Hall, III, 27, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 6 felony voyeurism.

According to court documents, Hall is answering to allegations that he took images of the girl with a camera while she was partially nude in a bathroom at a home sometime between 2021 and 2024.

Police said the investigation began in February when that and other images of the girl partially nude and fully clothed with her back to the camera were discovered on his cell phone.

The girl estimates the images were taken when she was 13 to 15, police said.

According to police, the charges were filed after repeated attempts by investigators to reach Hall for questioning as recently as July 1 failed.  He could face anywhere from a six month to 30 month sentence.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man following a single vehicle crash in Fish Lake was arrested for drunk driving just four months after convicted of the same offense.

Brandon Young, 29, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with operating while intoxicated as a Level 6 felony.

According to La Porte County Police, Young left the pavement Monday afternoon on Locust Dr. and struck a tree stump then a large tree in a 2019 Chevy Silverado. Various parts from the vehicle such as brake pads along with pieces of plastic from the frame were left scattered in a yard. 

Police said two fences were also damaged by tires that separated from the truck.

According to police, Young told investigators he was heading to his home in Fish Lake from a friend’s house in New Carlisle and didn’t know what happened that led to the crash.  Police noted it was raining heavily with tornado warnings issued at the time.

His alleged blood alcohol level was not revealed but he showed obvious signs of serious impairment, police said.

In March, Young was sentenced to five days in the La Porte County Jail and 360 days on probation for Class A misdemeanor operating while intoxicated, according to court records.  The current charge was elevated to a felony due to him having a prior OWI conviction.

(La Porte, IN) - A half-naked woman about to have sex with a man at a park in La Porte is behind bars.

Kayla McGinnis, 35, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with public indecency along with multiple drug related counts.

According to the charging information, an officer about 6 a.m. on July 23 was patrolling Fox Park when he spotted a woman inside a parked vehicle naked from the waist down.  Police said she was with a man, who told the officer they were at the park because they had no appropriate place to go for “alone time” since he’s married.

During a search, police said the La Porte woman was found with a small amount of methamphetamine, a psychedelic mushroom along with smoking pipes.

The still fully clothed man was allowed to go, police said.

(La Porte County, IN) - A solar energy company wanting to operate in La Porte County is defending its recently defeated project.

The La Porte County Board of Zoning Appeals voted 3 to 2 last week against a request by Hoosier Solar for a special exception to the current zoning to place solar panels on 300 acres in the southeast part of the county.

According to Hoosier Solar, the plans met or exceeded all of the requirements under the La Porte County solar ordinance and no rationale or factual basis has been provided to explain the grounds for denial.

Hoosier Solar officials say the company voluntarily committed to 500 foot solar panel setbacks from residences, well beyond what’s required by the ordinance, and planned to plant trees and shrubs that exceeded the local screening standards.

According to company officials, the project also would have generated about $24 million in local tax revenue over 35-years, compared to about $400,000 over the same time period from continued agriculture use.

Hoosier Solar CEO Steven Lichtin said the rejection of the plans was disappointing.

“We believe the decision was inconsistent with both the evidence presented and the standards established in La Porte County’s ordinance. Property owners, residents and project developers deserve a permitting process in which decisions are based on the adopted criteria and supported by the record so that the county’s ordinances are applied consistently, objectively and fairly,” he said.