There was a tournament feel at chilly Schreiber Field Friday as La Porte hosted stated rated New Prairie in their annual rivalry matchup. A large enthusiastic crowd saw LP take a 5-1 lead after three innings then hold on for dear life to post a 5-4 win.

New Prairie took a 1-0 lead in an odd top of the first inning against Slicer starter Cody Ryden. Leadoff man Dallas Ryans beat out a swinging bunt down the third base line, followed by Francisco Bibian beating out an actual bunt. Grady Keplin hit a chopper to Slicer third baseman Drew Catron. Catron threw to second for the force on Bibian. Bibian’s hard slide into second broke the stake securing second base. A fifteen-minute delay ensued as the base was replaced. After the delay, NP had runners on first and third with one out. Cleanup man Mason Braun hit into a force out scoring Bibian. Tyler Greenwood flew out to left field to end the inning.

La Porte came back in the bottom of the first with two runs. Ben Dubbs was hit by a pitch and Carter Moses drew a walk from Cougar starter Joe Kinney. Kade Flores hit a triple to left center field driving in both Dubbs and courtesy runner Drew Flores making it 2-1. Kinney settled in getting RJ Anglin to pop out before striking out both Tommy Samuelson and Catron looking stranding Flores at third.

The Slicers took advantage of an infield error in the second.  Keli Hay reached on a miscue by NP third baseman Bibian. A sacrifice bunt by Kai Jones moved him to second. Ryan Bruemmer was called out on strikes for the second out followed by a long RBI triple by Dubbs. Cougar shortstop Colin Wind made a great play to end the inning, ranging into the hole and making a strong throw to first to nip Moses for the final out saving a run. It was 3-1 Slicers after two innings. 

LP increased the lead to 5-1 in the third. Kade Flores walked and stole second. He moved to third on Anglin’s fly out to right. Samuelson then laced a long RBI triple to dead center field scoring Flores.  Samuelson scored on Catron’s base hit to right.  

That would be all of the scoring for the Slicers. Kinney got the final two outs of the third inning. He started the fourth inning with a walk to Bruemmer and was replaced by Tyler Greenwood. Greenwood retired nine of the ten hitters he faced allowing only a one-out walk to pinch hitter Jax Land in sixth.

New Prairie had a great scoring opportunity in the second inning. Freshman catcher Reed Robinson crushed a triple to center field to lead off the inning. Kinney hit a hard grounder to Catron at third. With Robinson running on ground ball contact, Catron threw to the plate to get Robinson for the first out. After a force out at second Wind singled to left putting two runners on. Ryden got Ryans to popup to end the inning.

The Cougars also threatened in the fourth. Brody Traxler smacked a two-out single and Ryden plunked Wind with a pitch. Traxler stole third, putting runners on the corners before a Ryans ground out ended the inning.

With one out in the sixth Robinson hit an absolute laser over the right field fence to make it a 5-2 game moving into the seventh. Wind grounded out to start the seventh. Ryans reached on an error by Anglin. Bibian hit a chopper up the middle, it deflected off of the leaping Ryden’s glove for an infield hit. With runners on first and second Grady Kepplin hit what looked to be a game-tying home run to left. The ball got caught in the wind and fell at the base of the fence for a two-run double. Kepplin advanced to third on an errant relay throw. With one out and tying run on third, Slicer coach Scott Upp pulled in the infield. Braun hit a hard ground ball right at Catron, who looked the runner back before throwing Braun out. Pinch hitter Matt Sorce popped up to Dubbs in left and LP got away with a 5-4 win.

There will be twelve total hits in the game and half were for extra bases. New Prairie had a homer, triple, and double. The Slicers had three triples. Slicer center fielder Bruemmer made a nice running catch on a long drive by Robinson and NP right fielder Kepplin made a nice running catch on Catron in the fifth. 

Ryden picked up the win by going the distance. He allowed four runs, three earned, and eight hits. More importantly, he did not issue a walk, hit one batter, and struck out three. Kinney took the loss allowing five runs and four hits over three innings. Greenwood finished up for NP walking one over three innings.

La Porte’s Ryden was named the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game for his mound work. Robinson was named POG for New Prairie going two for three with a triple and home run. His only out having been a deep fly ball to center. Kepplin knocked in three runs for the Cougars. Slicer center fielder Bruemmer left the game with a leg injury sprinting to first in the sixth.

La Porte improves to 11-6 on year. New Prairie falls to 12-4-1. 

The Slicers travel to Michigan City Tuesday, game time 4:30. The Wolves will come to Schreiber Field on Wednesday. La Porte will travel to South Bend to take on Adams at 6:00 Friday night. As always these games can be heard on WCOE 96.7 the Eagle.

Photos Courtesy of Susan Anglin.

(La Porte, IN) - The 10 finalists for this year’s Hoosier Star competition in La Porte reside locally and throughout the region, and will compete in their respective divisions for the title of HOOSIER STAR!

First-place Adult Division and Youth Division Winners will receive a $1,000 prize.  A $500 prize is awarded to the second-place finisher in each division.

Each finalist will sing a song of their choice with musicians from the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra at the Civic Auditorium in La Porte on September 9th.

Youth Division finalists are:

Molly Cooper of La Porte

Sophia Grubbs of Elkhart

Landon Mitchell of Buchanan, MI.

Makayla Mitchell of Buchanan, MI.

Eleanor Nohos of Hobart

Adult Division finalists are:

Kelly Bourget of Griffith

Jessica Johnson of Michigan City

Raul Palma of South Bend

Mary Pasyk of Griffith

Evan Wooding and Shania Povlock of La Porte

In addition to the live performance, the event will be live-streamed as a pay-per-view on the Orchestra’s website (WWW.LCSO.NET). Ticket and pay-per-view information will be forthcoming.

The LCSO thanks Horizon Bank, NIPSCO, Northwest Health, and Duneland Media for their generous platinum sponsorship of this event. 

More information about this event and other offerings by the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra during their 51st season will be posted in the near future at WWW.LCSO.NET.

(La Porte County, IN) - The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is now accepting applications for the position of patrol deputy. Applicants who successfully complete and pass the various stages of the process will immediately fill vacancies within the Merit Division.   

The hiring process will include the following stages:  application phase, physical agility testing, written examination, computerized voice stress analysis examination, background investigation, Merit Division interview panel, Merit Commission interview and psychological examination. 

Applicants who have successfully passed a certified law enforcement academy will be “fast-tracked” through an abbreviated hiring process.     

Applications can be found online by accessing www.laportecountysheriff.com or by picking them up at the front desk of the Sheriff’s Office. 

The deadline for submitting an application is Friday, May 19th at 7:00 AM. Individuals who apply and meet the required standards will be notified with further instructions. 

The starting salary for a Merit Deputy is $56,000 and following one year of service, that salary increases to $65,000. 

Those with current or prior law enforcement experience are strongly encouraged to apply, since the department offers a variety of specialty divisions, incentives and benefits package and a financially sound pension.      

Completed applications can be dropped off at the front desk of the Sheriff’s Office, sent via standard mail, or as a scanned attachment and sent via email. 

Completed applications may be mailed to the following:

La Porte County Sheriff’s Office

Attn:  Captain Derek J. Allen

809 State Street

La Porte, Indiana 46350

All completed applications sent via email shall be sent to the following:  dallen@lcso.in.gov.  Any questions should be directed to Capt. Allen at the aforementioned email address.    

(La Porte County, IN) - 5, 4,500 pounds of donated ground beef was delivered Tuesday to 16 La Porte County food pantries and soup kitchens, all coming from a $10,000 “Meat” the Need"  grant the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte awarded to Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry.  

Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry encourages hunters and farmers to donate large game and livestock to one of 85 participating meat processors.

Donations are processed, packaged and provided to area hunger relief agencies for distribution in the community.

The $10,000 HFL grant covers the meat processing fees and transport to the area.  HFL was notified in mid-April that ground beef was available for distribution and local partners jumped into action to make the delivery happen.

Citizens Concerned for the Homeless stepped up to coordinate the distribution plan, contacting La Porte County food pantries and soup kitchens to understand need and freezer storage space. On Tuesday, a refrigerated truck funded by grants from HFL and Duneland Health Council in 2019 was used to pick up the 4,500 pounds of ground beef, packaged in 1-pound bags, and deliver it to 16 food pantries and soup kitchens in La Porte County.  

“As we all know, the cost of food has increased. Add to that the ongoing supply chain issues, and what we see is that food pantries often struggle to get meat for the people they serve. We are proud to support the work that Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry does, and we’re so grateful to the team at Citizens Concerned for the Homeless for volunteering to make this tremendous delivery happen," said Maria Fruth, Healthcare Foundation of La Porte President and CEO. 

HFL awarded the $10,000 grant as part of its Healthy Living initiative. This is the first meat delivery expected from this grant, which addresses food insecurity in La Porte County.  

April 2023 La Porte County “Meat” the Need Beef Recipients 

• Center Township Trustee 
• Community Food Pantry of Galena, Hudson, Kankakee and Wills Townships 
• Downtown Emergency Soup Kitchen at Michigan City First United Methodist Church 
• First Presbyterian Church 
• Faith City Assembly of God Church 
• Interfaith Community PADS 
• Kingsford Heights Food Pantry 
• Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church Soup Kitchen 
• Sacred Heart Food Pantry at St. Mary 
• Sacred Heart Church Food Pantry 
• Sand Castle Shelter for Homeless Families 
• Stepping Stone Shelter for Women 
• Supplemental United Food Pantry of Hanna 
• The PAX Center 
• The Salvation Army - La Porte 
• The Salvation Army - Michigan City 

(La Porte County, IN) - Two people were injured in a motor vehicle crash caused by a suspected drunk driver outside La Porte last night around 9:30 p.m. at U.S. 20 and Indiana 39.

La Porte County Police said 46-year old Rebekkah Groshans was eastbound approaching a red light in a 2022 Honda Pilot, where she failed to stop and struck the back end of a 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan waiting for the light to turn. Both vehicles sustained heavy damage.

Police said the other driver, 72-year-old Steven Buchanan, was taken by ambulance to a South Bend hospital, complaining of pain to his neck.

Groshans of Osceola complained of chest pain and was taken to the hospital in La Porte, before being later booked into the La Porte County Jail for having an alleged blood alcohol level close to three times the .08 percent legal limit.

(Hammond and Westville, IN) - Donors to Purdue University Northwest lifted the university’s one-day fundraising total to a record level of nearly $2.9 million during PNW’s 10th annual “Day of Giving” on April 26th.

PNW raised more than $2.85 million from more than 1,895 donations in 24 hours.

“This is the highest one-day total amount raised in the history of Purdue Northwest. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the enthusiastic response of our community,” said Lisa Goodnight, vice chancellor of Institutional Advancement.

PNW ranked fourth among 77 participating units in the Purdue system for total gifts received. The university was also ninth among participating units system-wide in total dollars raised. The achievements resulted in bonus money being awarded to PNW, she said.

Participation in PNW’s Day of Giving increased by 34% from last year.

“Day of Giving brings together PNW alumni, leading businesses and charitable organizations, friends to the university from all over the world, and our own students, faculty and staff to invest in PNW’s mission to transform lives and Northwest Indiana. We sincerely thank all those who took the time to contribute a gift,” Goodnight said.

Gifts to PNW support student scholarships, academic programs, Pride athletics, student organizations and other strategic initiatives.

(La Porte County, IN) - He claimed to be the father of our country, and then later Jesus when questioned by police responding to a report of a stranger trying to force his way into a home. That’s the picture drawn from the criminal allegations leveled against a Michigan City man.

Matthew Bauer, 41, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Residential Entry. According to court documents, a 39-year old woman near Fish Lake spotted a man in November pounding and pulling on her front door, leading her to put her daughter in a safe place and then calling 911. Bauer tried opening several other doors and windows, but was unsuccessful up until entering the attached garage through an unlocked door.  He came out a short time later, before walking around the house and down the driveway.

When asked for his name and date of birth, Bauer responded “57 and I’m George Washington,” according to police. He later identified himself as Jesus and claimed The Bible was written about him.

According to court documents, Bauer knew what year it was and the city he was in while making other claims like how he had arrived there on a “time machine” and that he “died a long time ago.” He was taken to Northwest Health for an evaluation. 

Bauer was then arraigned on the allegations by Judge Tom Alevizos on Wednesday.

(La Porte County, IN) - A Michigan City man given money to complete the remodeling of a home never finished the job. Such are the allegations filed against Kevin Gloy in La Porte Circuit Court.

Gloy, 50, is charged with two counts of Level 6 Felony Fraud and a Misdemeanor count of Fraud.

According to court documents, Gloy was hired in June to complete the work by Christmas but each time he showed up, he only worked for brief periods of time. He was given more than $6,500, with some of the money intended for cabinetry and doors that were never received. In early December, Gloy stopped showing up all together and when reached by the victim gave an excuse each time for not working.

When police were called in February, there was uncompleted work in nearly every room of the house, such as halfway painted moulding and trim along with some unpainted walls. Construction materials were also left piled up in her bathroom and garage near Fail Road just east of La Porte.

Gloy, after posting bail, appeared for his initial court hearing on Wednesday with private counsel.

(Michigan City, IN) - The school resource officer program in Michigan City is not getting a new set of wheels, but it’ll certainly look like it. A new wrap has been placed on the school resource officer vehicle belonging to the Michigan City Police Department, and will be unveiled Friday at 1 p.m. at Michigan City High School.

According to school officials, the design for the wrap was created by art students at the high school. The overall effort was funded with a grant from the Unity Foundation of La Porte County. The wrap is in memory former high school teacher Jerry Peters, who passed away in 2012.

The unveiling will occur during a pep rally being held to highlight the clubs and sports programs at the school, as well as the new car design.

The La Porte baseball team traveled to Chesterton Wednesday hoping to solidify their hold on second place in the DAC. Six errors, five walks and five unearned runs later the Slicers find themselves in a log jam at second with a 5-3 DAC record after falling to the Trojans 5-3. 

Chesterton parlayed a two hits, one a fly ball lost in the high sky and a perfectly placed soft liner, two walks and two errors into a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first. Slicer starter Grant Olson kept the Trojans from a monster inning striking out the last three hitters, all looking, with the bases loaded.

LP committed two more errors in the second inning allowing Chesterton to score a single run making it 3-0 after two innings. Olson retired the first two hitters in the third inning before and walk and two singles loaded the bases. LP got out of the inning when Jake Pacilio grounded into a force out to end the inning. In the fourth, Olson again retired the first two hitter before a walk, an error and an RBI single made it 4-0. Brock Schultz came on in relief and picked up the final out of the inning. 

The Trojans picked up another unearned run in the fifth. An error, sacrifice bunt and ground out put Rob Czarnacki on third. He scored on Braydon Barrett’s RBI double making it 5-0. 

The Slicers made a run at the Trojans in the top of the seventh. Pinch hitter AJ Mrozinske was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Pinch hitter Thomas Hill struck out before Keli Hay, another pinch hitter, got an infield single. LP loaded the bases on an infield hit by Ryan Bruemmer. Ben Dubbs popped out to left for the second out. With the bases loaded and two outs Carter Moses hit a chopper that went through the second basemen allowing two runs to score. Kade Flores followed with a double to right center scoring Moses making it 5-3. Slicer RBI leader RJ Anglin stepped up with runners on second and third. Anglin smashed a line drive that was caught by leaping second basemen Greg Guernsey for the game’s final out.

Barrett went the distance holding LP scoreless for the first six innings. He struck out five, walked one, hit one batter, and allowed eight hits. The Trojans turned double plays in the first and second innings to cancel lead off singles by the Slicers. La Porte left the bases loaded in the third.  

Olson took the loss, allowing four runs, none earned and five hits. He struck out three and walked five. Schultz gave up an unearned run and two hits in 2 1/3 innings. Dubbs was named the Salisbury and Spence Player of the Game. He was 2-4 with a double and single and made some nice defensive plays battling the sun in right field.

None of the game’s eight runs were earned. Both infields battled tough hops throughout the game. The Slicers, now 10-6 on year, will host a state-rated New Prairie Friday night at Schreiber Field. First pitch 7:00. Pregame on WCOE 96.7 the Eagle will be at 6:45.

(La Porte County, IN) - The Fourth of July fireworks will be returning to the La Porte County fairgrounds this year where previously, in 2022, the show was held at Clear Lake.

La Porte County Councilman Randy Novak noted officials with the city and the Fair Management and Events Corporation partnered in the decision.

“It’s a joint venture,” he said.

No reason was given for moving the July 4th fireworks back to the fairgrounds.

The fireworks show was held annually at the fairgrounds for a long time until being moved to Clear Lake in La Porte last year, in response to the La Porte Jaycees disbanding last year and deciding not to host the fireworks show after decades of sponsoring the event.

The city stepped in and hosted the fireworks show at Clear Lake.

(Michigan City, IN) - A 15-year-old boy was responsible for going into a home and firing multiple gunshots in Michigan City three months ago. That’s according to police, who arrested the juvenile on charges of Burglary, Criminal Recklessness and Dangerous Possession of a Fiirearm.

On January 26th, emergency personel responded to the 200 block of Poplar Street after gunshots were heard in the area. One of the responding officers heard the shots from inside the nearby police station on Michigan Boulevard.

Police said the boy forced his way into a home and repeatedly pulled the trigger of a loaded handgun. No one inside the residence was wounded.

The teen developed as a suspect in the case from evidence gathered in the investigation, but his whereabouts at the time were then unknown. Detectives learned the Michigan City resident left but would return to the area periodically following the gunfire. The search ended Monday when he was spotted inside a vehicle traveling in the area of U.S. 20 and Hitchcock Road on the city’s far west side before being arrested during a traffic stop.

He is also charged with Arson for an intentionally-set fire in September. 

(Michigan City, IN) - An arrest has been made for a Michigan City shooting death from over two years ago. Lamar Friend, 41, was charged with Murder on Tuesday in La Porte Superior Court 1 for the fatal shooting of Demetrius Howell in the 100 block of Edwards Street

Howell was outside a home when shot in the forehead, according to court records.

Friend is also charged with Attempted Murder for shooting a woman, who was inside of a parked car waiting for the victim to return when hit by gunfire at close range. Authorities said she drove to a nearby gas station for help and was found wounded near the pumps on East Michigan Boulevard.

A dozen or more total shots were fired in the shootings, police said.

Authorities suspect the motive was drug-related due to evidence gathered during the investigation that linked some of the people involved in the shootings and potential witnesses thereof to the sale of larger quantities of marijuana.

Friend could face up to 65 years on the Murder charge and as much as 40 years for Attempted Murder.

(New Buffalo, MI) - A New Buffalo High School student is following in his father’s footsteps by breaking a school record in track.

Jack Lantz cleared the stick at 11’6” in pole vaulting during a conference meet at home Tuesday. 

He shattered by 14 inches the previous mark set by Creo Brewster, who graduated in 2017.

“Very impressive on his part,” said New Buffalo High School Track and Field Head Coach Nate Jones.

Lantz, whose previous high was just one inch below the previous record, said he knew he would break it sometime this year but was shocked by how much.

He didn’t think he would clear the stick at 10 feet since he was still trying to adapt to a slightly longer pole he switched to recently.

“I’m completely surprised,” he said.

Before his record setting effort, Lantz said his father, Josh, gave him a few pointers from the bleachers about his mid-air form to help him clear the stick.

“That just kind of made it click for me,” he said.

Mr. Lantz was a record setting pole vaulter at Wawasee High School in Syracuse, Ind.  His high mark was 12’ 3.”

Lantz hopes to gradually narrow the distance gap between he and his father. He might have a chance considering he just started pole vaulting as a sophomore.

“I’m trying to catch up to him,” he said.

Jones said Lantz also excels in other track and field positions.  For example, he won the 300 meter and 100 meter hurdles last week in another conference meet. Lantz is also a member of the four man one mile relay team, which Jones feels has a good chance to make it to the state finals.

“We can put him almost anywhere and he’s going to be successful,” he said.

The La Porte baseball teamed moved to 5-2 in the DAC and 10-5 on the year with a 4-0 win over Chesterton Tuesday at Schreiber Field. 

Senior RJ Anglin threw a two hit shutout and was in control the entire game. Chesterton’s two hits were both bloopers. In the first inning Nick Foust hit a popup to short right field. Second baseman Ben Dubbs just got a glove on it but was unable to make the catch. The Trojan’s other hit was a fisted popup to left by Rob Czarniecki that fell in front of left fielder Drew Flores. Anglin struck out eight and walked one picking up the win. He was named the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game.

The La Porte offense scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning. The left handed hitting Dubbs smashed a hard grounder down the third base line. Chesterton third baseman Kaden Hawksworth knocked it down with a dive but could not complete the play giving Dubbs an infield hit. Carter Moses grounded out to shortstop with Dubbs running for the first out but moved Dubbs to second. Kade Flores drew a walk before advancing to second on the back end of a double steal with Dubbs. Anglin was caught looking for the second out before Tommy Samuelson hit a chopper that got through the second baseman scoring both Dubbs and Flores.

The Slicers scored single runs in the second and fourth innings. Drew Catron doubled to lead off the second and scored on Drew Flores’ RBI single to right to make it 3-0. Samuelson led off the fourth inning with a double. Keli Hay laid down a bunt single to put runners on first and third with no outs. With Hay running, Catron hit a hard ground ball just to the shortstop side of second right to Brayden Barrett who was moving to cover. The Trojans turned the double play but Samuelson scored making it 4-0.

LP made it interesting in the seventh. After Anglin struck out Guernsey for the first out back to back errors on ground balls put two runners on for Chesterton.  Anglin got a strike out and ground out to end the game.

Samuelson was the Slicer with multiple hits with a double and single. The win keeps La Porte in second place, two games behind Lake Central in the DAC. LP will travel to Chesterton Wednesday, first pitch scheduled for 4:30.

(La Porte County, IN) - A Michigan City area man deserves a round of applause.

According to La Porte County Police, James Crozier was traveling County Road 450 North near 600 West Sunday afternoon when he ran over a wallet and saw money fly into the air. Crozier stopped and grabbed the wallet and its contents lying on the ground, before then calling police.  A sheriff’s deputy drove to Crozier’s residence where he was given the wallet along with the rest of his findings.

Police were able to track down the owner and met her at a Family Express, before giving her the wallet. How much money the wallet contained was not disclosed.  The owner, though, noted a few $100 bills previously inside the wallet were no longer there, per authorities.

The 30-year old woman indicated she was going to where her wallet was found to try and locate her missing bills.

(La Porte, IN) - The La Porte County Symphony Orchestra has filled a newly-created position aimed at maintaining interest in music for years to come, with Jared Coller recently appointed as Education Manager. 

Coller is presently the band director of Rensselaer Middle and High Schools and a percussionist for the LCSO.

“Jared will bring a passion for music education to this position,” stated LCSO Executive Director, Tim King.  

“His experience as an educator as well as his vast network of contacts in the region will help to further our “New Generations” initiative.   Thanks to the many donors to our MUSIC FOREVER campaign who made the creation of this position possible,” King said.

Coller said it was difficult for him to leave his students but he looks forward to cultivating the next generation of artists and their audiences.

His duties will include all aspects of organizing concerts, coordinating the Student Apprentice Program, serving as the LCSO’s liaison with Drew’s Gift of Music, organizing the small ensemble offerings of the LCSO, serving as the coordinator for the newly created Steck Family Music Education Fund as well as keeping in contact with all of the music educators in the region about opportunities and events with the LCSO, officials said.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man allegedly caught his ex-girlfriend having sex, video recorded the act, and then sent the moving images to the woman’s teenage daughter.  Those are among the allegations in the six mostly felony counts filed against Matthew Mrozinski.

Mrozinski, 49, has posted bond to await the next hearing in the La Porte Circuit Court case scheduled for July 5th.

On April 12th, Mrozinski went uninvited inside the woman’s La Porte home to retrieve his belongings.  Mrozinski allegedly heard moaning and activated his video camera while walking up the stairs to her second floor bedroom.  He continued to video as he discovered his former girlfriend in bed having sex with another man.

He allegedly kept the camera on the couple until he reportedly grabbed the woman near her throat and shoved her to the floor.

After police arrived, Mrozinski asked if he could post the video on Facebook. Officers responded that he could as long as the images contained no nudity.  According to court documents, he later sent the video to the phone of the woman’s teenage daughter.

Mrozinski is charged with Providing Obscene Material to a Minor, Voyeurism, Domestic Battery, Residential Entry, Criminal Trespassing, and Distribution of Intimate Images.

(La Porte, IN) - The La Porte County government complex might be upgraded while repairs are being made to extensive flood damage caused by a frozen water line bursting at Christmas.

A new fire alarm system, replacing corroded galvanized water pipes and improvements to heating, cooling and ventilation of the 1970’s structure were identified as needs during a Monday workshop between members of the county council and county commissioners.

Officials said the upgrades would add roughly three million dollars to the cost of all the repairs now estimated at $15 million or more.

However, officials said it makes financial sense to perform the upgrades now since those areas are exposed and easy to reach from water logged drywall being removed from the frames of the walls.

Waiting to upgrade the original parts of the building until sometime after the new drywall goes up would noticeably increase the cost of the improvements from having to tear back into the walls, officials said.

Commissioner Connie Gramarossa said the cost of all of the repairs, except for a $25,000 deductible, are covered under the county’s insurance policy. There is some question how much of the tab the insurance company would be willing to pay for the upgrades since they were not damaged by the flood.

Gramarossa believes most, if not, all of the cost of the improvements would likely be covered, but waiting for the insurance company to decide payment before doing the upgrades could delay completion of the building restoration.

The La Porte County Council will be asked to approve the funds to perform the upgrades before the new drywall goes up. The claims would be submitted later to the insurance company for possible reimbursement.

“This would give us the ability to just go ahead and move the project forward,” she said.

Councilman Randy Novak said doing the upgrades now would also bring almost everything about the structure into compliance with current codes without delaying the project and spending more money to do it later.

For example, Novak said the current fire alarm system is outdated but a new one with better smoke detection abilities would take six to eight weeks to design before installation.

“This projected cost is just a fraction of what it would cost if we had to do it after we put the building back together,” he said.

Extensive damage was also done to electrical wiring inside conduits that filled up with water running down from the busted line on fifth floor.

Gramarossa said most of the water damage was on the third and fourth floors occupied by the health department and prosecutor’s office, which were among the eight departments relocated until the work is finished.

The damage was extensive because the water line burst while the complex was empty for the extended Christmas break.  It would have been worse had a maintenance worker not performed a routine check of the structure before it was scheduled to reopen.

Gramarossa said all of the work is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

(La Porte County, IN) - The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft of approximately 60 feet of guardrail from along a roadway in rural Hanna Township.    

Police said employees of the La Porte County Highway Department discovered three sections of guardrail missing Monday morning.

The missing guardrail was along 400 West near 1650 South.  Police said the three 20 feet in length sections have a total estimate value of about $2,500.    

Anyone has information about the theft is asked to contact Detective Austin Howell at ahowell@lcso.in.gov.

(Michigan City, IN) - Somebody is pretending to be a police officer on the phone and placing people in fear about being thrown in the slammer. According to Michigan City Police, the calls are a “complete hoax.”

Police say it’s been happening in Michigan City and the surrounding area. The caller pretends to be a Michigan City Police officer and tells the person to come to the police station to obtain a subpoena issued for them, and If they don’t, the caller says a judge has ordered them to be held in jail.

Police said a cell phone is being used to make the calls and are vowing to get to the bottom of it.

“Please know we are taking this matter very seriously and will get to the bottom of it quickly,” police said.

Police also advised whoever is responsible “while you may believe using an application to make your number will keep your identity hidden, you are incorrect.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Michigan City Police.

(La Porte County, IN) - A Niles, Michigan man is accused of stealing more than $11,000 in tools from a La Porte County storage unit. Michael Myers is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 6 Felony Theft.

The crime was reported on March 30th from Parks Place Mini Storage in the 2900 block of East Indiana 2 near Rolling Prairie.

The victim showed up to find a new lock on his storage locker. Police said the property owner cut the new lock off and opened the door for the victim who found a tool box containing sockets, socket extensions and wrenches missing.

More tools were discovered missing from another tool box. Other missing items included a Shop-Vac, several coolant system testing kits along with a tool and die set. The victim told investigators he had last been at his storage locker less than a week prior to discovering the missing items.

According to court documents, a surveillance camera captured a black Ford F-150 pick-up truck arriving at the property and leaving about 30 minutes.  The stolen tool box and other items belonging to the victim could be seen in the back of the truck while it was leaving.

Myers could face an up to 30 month prison sentence.

(Michigan City, IN) - Michigan City Mayor Duane Parry is blasting a proposed settlement over an electric rate increase sought by NIPSCO, saying that the proposed settlement being considered by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission would increase rates by 10.5 percent for “already hard pressed” residential customers.

Originally, NIPSCO was seeking a 16.5 percent increase in electric rates.

Parry added that the proposed settlement agreement also adds 13-14 percent increases for small commercial and industrial businesses “who are trying to keep their heads above water.”

Parry said his office is working to bring in new and grow existing businesses yet NIPSCO’S electric rates for businesses are nearly twice as high as business rates for customers of Indiana Michigan Power. He also said NIPSCO ranks at the bottom in the Midwest for customer satisfaction in the latest J.D. Power surveys.

Parry is scheduled to testify before the IURC on Thursday.

“I look forward to standing up for our residential and business ratepayers at these hearings,” he said.

(La Porte County, IN - A motor vehicle crash in La Porte was caused by a man allegedly impaired by methamphetamine. Jacob Chlupacek is charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Operating while Intoxicated.

The accident happened Friday afternoon at Fail Road and East Lincolnway, where his westbound SUV struck the back end of a pick-up truck.

La Porte County Police said Chlupacek appeared to be impaired judging by his red, glassy eyes and extremely constricted pupilsl.  He also appeared to be very nervous, police said. 

Less than two grams of methamphetamine were allegedly found in his vehicle.

No injuries were reported.

According to authorities, Chlupacek said he wasn’t paying attention until he was about to strike the truck and tried to avoid the collision.  The South Bend man told police he was coming to La Porte to visit a friend. 

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Police are currently looking for a fugitive.

William M. Callahan, II, 51, of Michigan City has warrants out for his arrest for failing to appear in court on charges of Level 5 Felony Domestic Battery, as well as Level 6 Felony Theft, Failure to Return, and Escape.

The Escape charge could bring a sentencing enhancement resulting from him being a habitual offender, police said.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Fugitive Apprehension Street Team at (219) 608-9572 or Michiana Crime Stoppers at (800) 342-7867.

(La Porte County, IN) - A La Porte school bus was evacuated this morning due to a small fire.

Just before 7 a.m., Center Township firefighters were called to the 1200 block of North 500 West for what was later determined to be small electrical fire on possibly a couple of toggle switches.

So far, details are sketchy but the smell of burning wire on the bus was reported.

There were no injuries.

Officials said the children were safely placed on another bus to complete the middle school, high school route.

La Porte County Highway Department employees Harlan Wiltfong and Dan Peo were on duty in a dump truck when they saw the school bus stopped on 500 West.

They stepped out and boarded the bus with a fire extinguisher, said La Porte County Highway Department Superintendent Al Stevens.

Stevens said an electrical panel appeared to be burning according to his crew members and the bus was towed. 

The Slicer baseball team used a big first inning, power hitting and the strong arm of sophomore Cody Ryden to take down Plymouth 10-3 Saturday in Plymouth.

La Porte jumped on Pilgrim starter Caleb Bowling for six runs in the top of the first inning. Ben Dubbs and Carter Moses drew walks to start the game. Kade Flores smashed a line drive to right field that was snared by a leaping Kaden Milliser for the first out. Cleanup man RJ Anglin then crushed the first pitch over the left field wall for a three-run homer giving LP a 3-0 lead. Tommy Samuelson flew out Milliser for the second out before Jax Land and Kai Jones were clipped by pitches. Ryan Bruemmer lined a single to left scoring Land. The left fielder bobbled the ball allowing Jones to advance to third and Bruemmer to second. Drew Catron then drove a triple to the base of the fence to drive in two giving the Slicers a 6-0 advantage before taking the field.

Cody Ryden got the start on the mound, his first since an April 6th win over Portage due to illness. The talented sophomore showed no signs of rust. He retired the first eight hitters and eighteen of the twenty he faced. He struck out three, gave up two singles, allowed no walks or hit batters in an impressive six inning stint. The only solidly hit ball he allowed was two out single up the middle with two outs in the third. The other Plymouth runner he allowed was a well place infield hit in the fifth. 

The Slicers scored in each of the odd numbered innings. After the six spot in the first inning LP picked up a single run in the third on a Bruemmer single, stolen base and RBI single by Catron. It was 7-0 after three innings. 

Samuelson doubled to lead off the fifth. He moved to third on Land’s line drive single to left and scored on a wild pitch making it 8-0 after five. 

La Porte added two more in the top of the seventh. After Samuelson scorched a line drive that was snagged by first baseman Matt Manzuk for the first out, Land drew a walk. Up stepped Keli Hay, who promptly launched a two run homer over the left center field fence making it 10-0 LP heading into the bottom of the seventh. 

Jones came into pitch the seventh. Cam Shively dumped a single into left. The next two hitters popped out to second. DH Boston Berkeypile drew a walk and Milliser dropped a single into left to load the bases. Jones walked Ethan Hall forcing in Plymouth’s first run. A ground ball by Trey Hall was bobbled by Catron and the rushed throw sailed past Samuelson at first allowing two unearned runs to score. Kade Flores took over on the mound, threw one pitch getting Trey Delp to pop up to right field and the Slicers had a 10-3 win.

Ryden was named the Salisbury and Stence Edward Jones Player of the Game for his outstanding mound work. Offensively Anglin was 2-4 with a three run homer. Catron went 2-3 with a triple, single and 3 RBI. Bruemmer was 1-2 with 2 runs scored and an RBI. Land scored twice and was 1-2. Hay smashed a two runner homer in his only plate appearance.

The win moves LP to 9-5 on the season. The Slicers will host Chesterton at Schreiber Field Tuesday and visit the Trojans Wednesday. Both games scheduled for 4:30. New Prairie will visit Friday night for a 7:00 start. As always you can hear all of the action on WCOE 96.7 the Eagle.

(La Porte, IN) - History was made at the La Porte County Courthouse Friday afternoon.

Erika C. Stallworth was sworn in as the Circuit Court’s Juvenile Magistrate, becoming the county’s first African-American judge.

Stallworth was previously the Executive Director of the La Porte County Juvenile Services Center. She was appointed by Circuit Court Judge Tom Alevizos, following the retirement of previous Magistrate W. Jonathan Forker.

Stallworth brings an impressive resume to the Juvenile Magistrate position. Having grown up in Kingsford Heights, she graduated third in her class from La Porte High School in 1996. Stallworth earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University Chicago School of Law before returning to La Porte County to begin her career at the Juvenile Services Center.

In 2008 Stallworth was appointed by the Indiana Speaker of the House to serve on a state-wide Commission on Youth Services. She has also served on several local, state, and national community boards and is currently the secretary/treasurer of the La Porte County Bar Association.

In her new role, Stallworth will be responsible for judging juvenile delinquency cases and overseeing Children in Need of Services.

(South Bend, IN) - A New Prairie High School golfer hit a hole-in-one this week during a match in South Bend.

On Wednesday Sophomore Dakota Anastos only needed one shot with his 8-iron on the fourth hole of Elbel Park Golf Course. It’s about 165 yards straightaway and uphill. His first-ever hole-in-one helped secure a Cougar victory over South Bend Washington and Clay. The team is now 3-1 on the season.

Not bad for the stocky football-player-turned-golfer, especially considering Anastos just started playing golf a few months ago.

(Valparaiso, IN) - Six new firefighters have joined the first responder ranks in La Porte County and surrounding areas.

On Friday night, 17 trainees graduated from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security District 1 Fire Academy. The ceremony took place at the 28-acre regional training center in Valparaiso where the recruits underwent their rigorous 11-week preparation.

Brian Bentley, Richard Nagy, and Kobe Roberson will join the Michigan City Fire Department.

Britney Horvath (pictured) and Jacob Wood will join New Carlisle’s Fire Department.

Noah Sanchez will be stationed down in North Judson.

(Indianapolis, IN) - An Indiana State Police officer with ties to this area has earned a top honor.

Kevin Council has been named Indiana Trooper of the Year for the Lowell District, which covers the northwest part of the state.

Trooper Council received his award this week at a ceremony in Indianapolis. He was recognized for his outstanding policing efforts last year, including 143 crash investigations, 304 criminal arrests, about a third of which were O.W.I.s, and 369 other police services. He also volunteered for numerous other duties, such as ride-a-longs, interns, recruiting, parades, and county fairs. His supervisor called Council “The anchor of the midnight shift.”

Council, who lives in La Porte County, is a two-year veteran of the Indiana State Police. He is the son of Master Trooper Jeff Council, who has been a trooper for the past 31 years.

(Michigan City, IN) - Charges have been filed in connection with a serious injury that occured during a Christmas-time residential burglary in Michigan City.

Tony Thompson, 33, of Michigan City allegedly broke inside a home two weeks before Christmas in the 1000 block of Cedar Street.

So far, authorities have not revealed what was taken, yet Thompson was in the basement where some unwrapped Christmas presents were stored. There, a home surveillance system allegedly captured him placing items into a container he placed on the basement floor. A man living there confronted Thompson and during a confrontation, the resident suffered a broken leg and lacerations.

Thompson, who stands 6’8” in height, could face as much as six years in prison.

He is currently being held in  the La Porte County Jail on $15,000 bond.

(La Porte, IN) -  The La Porte Police Department has its first ever social worker to try and get a better handle on drug abuse and other mental health issues that cause law enforcement to get involved.

It’s the type of work Caitlyn Kalisik has wanted to do since childhood when reaching out to others seemed to come naturally.

Her first day on the job included responding to a drug overdose for lending moral support and connecting family members with any extended services that might be needed or wanted to address their difficulties.

Kalisik was chosen from nearly 20 applicants.

“I was very excited.  I’m still super excited.  I think I’ll be very excited for some time,” she said.

The position was created to help more people by filling cracks in the system.

After responding to a call, officers often don’t have the time or training to get people to calmly open up and connect them with a mental health professional most suitable for their circumstances, said LaPorte Police Chief Paul Brettin.

“This person will get them the resources they need,” he said.

Kalisik, 26, grew up in Wisconsin then spent four years as a U.S. Marine.

She often stepped in to be a friend to classmates needing advice or a shoulder to cry on and source of emotional support to military colleagues having trouble dealing with a traumatic experience.

Kalisik said her dream has always been to become a therapist but she wasn’t trying out for the role.           

Her actions just came naturally.

“I was doing a lot of social work without knowing that I was doing any social work,” she said.

After released from the military, she landed in Hobart then Valparaiso and enrolled at Purdue University Northwest.  Her internships included actual social work duties ranging from helping people fill out applications for protective orders to assisting substance abusers in their recoveries through the courts.

After graduating, Kalisik said she was employed as a family case manager with the Indiana Department of Child Services.  She later became a case specialist for Family Recovery Court through LaPorte Circuit Court and is currently working on her master’s degree.

Kalisik and her three year old daughter now live in Michigan City where she bought a home last year.

For now, she said her primary goals at the department are reducing substance abuse and the number of repeat offenders.  Kalisik said she’s ready to change her course, though, if other more pressing behavioral needs begin emerging over time.

“It’s really just going to be what the needs of the community are.  I, personally, am willing to do as much as I can,” she said.

Kalisik is also making herself available to help police officers struggling with something they encountered while on duty. She’s already made it known that seeking help is nothing to be ashamed of and for them not to have second thoughts about seeing her.

Kalisik said she enjoys the family-like environment at the police department being similar to what she experienced in the military. She also likes the camaraderie between her and the officers, who seem to relate to her because of her time serving the country.

Kalisik said she’s not ruling out becoming a therapist one day but that’s not where her focus is right now.

“I would say beside a therapist being my dream job, this is my second dream job,” she said.

If you host an opponent with four division one recruits, add in six walks, 4 hit batsman, commit 4 errors and allow nine hits you have a recipe for disaster. That is what was cooking at Schreiber Field Wednesday night as the Slicers fell 12-2 in six innings to powerful Lake Central.

The game started out well for the La Porte baseball team. Grant Olson retired three straight Indians after a leadoff walk in the top of the first. The Slicers jumped on LC starter Blake Sivak for two runs in the bottom of the inning. Carter Moses bounced a one out single up the middle and Kade Flores drew a walk. A pass ball moved courtesy runner Drew Flores to third and brother Kade to second.  RJ Anglin lined a single to right field driving in both making it 2-0 LP after one. 

La Porte held Lake Central scoreless in the second but momentum started shifting to the LC dugout during the inning. Olson retired the first two hitters, then back to back infield errors and an infield hit loaded the bases before Olson got the final out. 

Lake Central took the lead in the third inning parlaying three walks and two hits into three runs for a 3-2 edge. They picked up another run in the fourth inning on and error, two hit batsmen, a walk and two singles. Brock Schultz came in relief of with one out in the inning. Slicer third basemen Drew Catron saved two runs with a diving stop and a force at second to end the fourth. It was 4-2 LC after four. 

Lake Central made it 6-2 after five innings on a two run single by Hunter Snyder. 

The roof completely caved in on the Slicers in the LC sixth. The Indians used a walk, a hit batsmen, three hits and a Slicer error to score six runs off of third LP pitcher Drew Flores. The big blow was a three run homer to left by Garrett Webber making it a 12-2 game. 

Relief pitcher Grant Mercer gave up a single to Anglin the bottom of the sixth but retired the next three hitters for the 12-2 win. 

Anglin was named the Salisbury and Stence Edward Jones Player of the Game. He went three for three with a double and two RBI. He also made a couple of nice defensive plays at shortstop after starting the game in right field. La Porte falls to 8-5 on the year and 4-2 in the DAC. Lake Central is a perfect 6-0 in the DAC and 10-1 overall. The first four hitters in the LC lineup were six for twelve, scored eight runs and drove in nine.

The Slicers travel to Plymouth Saturday. The varsity game has been moved up an hour to 10:00 AM Central time. The JV team will play right after the varsity game. 

(La Porte, IN) - Another road in La Porte will be resurfaced. Truesdell Avenue is going to be repaved from MCClung Road to just west of the entrance to Fox Park, and will be closed until the resurfacing is finished.

La Porte City Engineer Nick Minich said other places to park will be created for people going to the park for events like weekly music concerts at the band shell.

“The overflow parking we plan to do at the same time. We plan to have parking available by May,” he said.

The resurfacing is scheduled to begin next Tuesday and should be done by the end of May.

(Michigan City, IN) - A man with a history of bilking homeowners who hired him to do repairs is allegedly at it again. Marvin Buckland, 57, is charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with Level 6 Felony Fraud.

According to court documents, Buckland was hired last year by a Michigan City man to work on his roof. Buckland, of Porter, began the work on time but allegedly started to slack off and, eventually, became a no-show. The work was still not completed six months later.

Buckland was under a contract to conduct the work for the homeowner, who agreed to pay for the supplies in advance. The alleged victim told investigators he was out $15,000.

Buckland was previously convicted of home improvement fraud in 2014 and received a 30-day sentence in the La Porte County Jail.

(Michigan City, IN) - A suspected drug dealer from Michigan City could be in deeper trouble for allegedly firing a gunshot during a family related dispute.

Terrence Pearson, 32, is charged with Criminal Recklessness and being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

According to court documents, Michigan City Police were called about the firing of a gun April 15th near the 1200 block of Franklin Street, where a nearby officer spotted Pearson and his brother as they ran toward the front of a nearby residence.

They were then approached a short time later and told the officer the gunshot was in response threats directed to them by a man having sex with another man’s wife.

Pearson admitted firing the weapon. According to police, he had been prohibited from carrying a firearm due to a pending Drug Dealing charge. Pearson has a prior conviction of Possession of a Hypodermic Needle from last year.

He is still being held today in the La Porte County Jail on $15,000 bond.

(Indianapolis, IN) - State Senator Mike Bohacek (R-Michiana Shores) welcomed Lacey Hahn, a homeschooled-student from Knox, to the Statehouse.

Hahn served as a Senate page in April.

Pages spent a day at the Statehouse touring the historic building, observing debates from the Senate floor and interacting with their state senator.

"Lacey was an attentive page and very interested in getting the most out of her visit to the Statehouse,” Bohacek said.

He said the Senate Page Program provides students with a unique educational experience.  They learn about both the Statehouse and the legislative process, “which is why I encourage all young Hoosiers to participate."

Students in grades six through 12 participate in the page program on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays during the legislative session.

Groups serve on Wednesdays.

To learn more about the Senate Page Program, visit www.IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/page-program.

(La Porte, IN) - A Michigan City woman accused of stealing wedding rings from the fingers of nursing home residents is scheduled for her initial court appearance on Friday.

Macy Blake, 25, is still being held today in the La Porte County Jail on $25,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow morning before LaPorte Circuit Court Judge Tom Alevizos on Level 3 Felony Robbery and three counts of Level 6 Felony Theft.

The robbery charge alone could bring her anywhere from a 2-to-12 year sentence.

According to court documents, she was employed at Miller’s Health and Rehab at 3530 Monroe Street in La Porte. Beginning in late January, it’s alleged that Blake over a three-week period stole four rings from the fingers of three female residents as they slept during the night while she was on duty.

One resident had two rings she had not taken off in years removed on separate occasions while sleeping. One of the difficult-to-slip-off rings was tugged on hard enough to cause the victim’s finger to bleed. A ring taken from the finger of another resident who later died belonged to the woman’s grandmother.

A break in the investigation came when another victim woke up to a small-framed young blonde woman trying to pull a wedding band from her finger. Per officials, Blake was the only midnight shift worker matching the description the woman gave of the suspect.

Each of the rings had an estimated value of $1,000 or more, and Blake allegedly sold them to a pawn shop. In her testamony to investigators, she stated she needed the money to make ends meet since the nursing home wasn’t giving her enough hours at work.

So far, whether the rings have been recovered is not known, but police said the pawn shop buying the rings was making an effort to locate the items.

The robbery charge was filed in one of the thefts because of the force used and injury that resulted from the taking.
 

(La Porte, IN) - A new location for the senior center in La Porte has been found, not very far from the existing location beside the U.S. 35 overpass.

The senior center will move into the Heritage Place at 910 Lincolnway, under an agreement approved Wednesday by the city’s park department.

Pending final approval from Northwest Health, the senior center, known as the Activity Center for Older Adults, will be under a three year lease at no cost at its new location. The Parks department will pay the cost of utilities, per Park Department Superintendent Mark Schreiber.

Northwest Health owns the multi-level Heritage Place, which has a long history of being a medical office facility. Mayor Tom Dermody said the first floor is vacant, though, providing space for the senior center to occupy. The new location keeps the senior center on one main level while increasing space available for a variety of programming by 80-percent.

Heritage Place is also a short walking distance from the current facility, which is inside an old fire station constructed in 1907. .

The Healthcare Foundation of La Porte is providing the funding needed for the senior center to operate through at least 2023. HFL is also involved in strategic planning for locating a permanent facility and securing the short term and long term viability of the center.

“This segment of our community deserves vibrant programming and resources an Activity Center for Older Adults provides. It is imperative we continue to invite the community to be active and social at all ages," said HFL President and CEO Maria Fruth.

With a temporary location now in place, Schreiber said the planning process will turn to growing membership and developing a new facility for future generations of La Porte residents.

The ACOA was opened three decades ago by Swanson Center. In 2021, the city and Swanson Center agreed to end the lease on the building. The Park Department then assumed full operations of the ACOA in April 2022.

“We were never going to be able to provide the level of programming and services we foresee by staying at the old fire station. We are committed to achieving the goal of a new, state-of-the-art facility with the support of our community partners,” Schreiber said.

A developer is in the process of closing on the sale of the old fire station and plans to convert it into office space with recreational offerings following a renovation of the structure.

(Valparaiso, IN) - Funeral services are scheduled this afternoon for an Indiana State Prison worker attacked by an inmate.

61 year old Michael Keel died eight days ago, succumbing to an injury suffered when hit on the head with a steel pipe at the prison on Michigan City's west side. 

Keel was a shop supervisor overseeing inmates working in the prison’s steel shop when hit on the head with the pipe during an argument between himself and the suspect, inmate Jeremy Davidson.

Davidson, 39, is serving a 169-year prison sentence on multiple counts of Child Molestation with the potential to have a lot more time added to his sentence if the La Porte County Prosecutor’s office decides to charge him with the murder.

Keel lived in the Valparaiso area and worked at the state prison for 29 years. His funeral is scheduled at 3 p.m. this afternoon at Valparaiso Nazarene Church.

(New Buffalo, MI) - The New Buffalo High School baseball team is on a four-game winning streak.

The Bison swept a doubleheader at home Tuesday against Our Lady of the Lake and took both games of a doubleheader Friday, April 14th, at Eau Claire.

Head Coach Adam Lijewski said he feels players becoming more confident and developing a good chemistry after losing the first two games of the season has a lot to do with the team’s recent success.

“They’re believing in themselves.  They’re starting to play together.   They’re playing as one.  That makes a huge difference,” he said.

Starting pitcher Sam Wendel-Suppa gave up three runs in six innings during Tuesday’s 9-4 victory in the opening game of the doubleheader against Our Lady of the Lake.

The Bison helped by four walks and a hit batsman scored four times in the first inning on crisp run scoring singles from Hagen Davis and Nick Messinger.

New Buffalo scored two more times after Vaughn Nikkel started the fourth inning with a double to center field and Ethan Lijewski followed with a hard hit single up the middle.

Nikkel was driven home by Davis, who was thrown out on a ground ball hit to the second baseman. 

Lijewski crossed the plate from third base when Wendel-Suppa beat the throw from the catcher to steal second base.

The Bison added to their lead with three runs in the fifth inning.

Messinger reached base on a fielding error then wound up on second base from a nicely laid sacrifice bunt from Neil Johnson.  Nickel and Lijewski with two outs hit back to back triples to right field and later scored.

Lijewski pitching in relief gave up a run early in the final inning but struck out the last two batters to seal the victory.

The Bison won the second game 5-0.  Starting pitcher Gio Sanchez-Perez went the distance for New Buffalo in his shut out performance.

Lijewski said the team with a lot of young struggling players two-years ago keeps reaping the benefits of more experience and physical maturity.

He said pitchers are throwing harder with much better control and batters are striking the ball with more authority.  Fielders are also making harder throws and covering more ground in chasing down balls.

For example, Lijewski while playing shortstop gloved a hard hit ground ball from behind second base and gunned down the runner.

Max Nikkel showing good range and quick hands caught several hard hit ground balls at third base with sizzle on his accurate throws to first base for outs.

Sanchez twice grabbed deep fly balls after running them down while playing center field.

“Things like that are what we’ve been missing.  I knew we were getting there.  It’s fun to watch,” Lijewski said.

New Buffalo defeated Eau Claire 13-1 and 11-1.

(La Porte, IN) - The attorney for the 39 North Conservancy District is accusing the mayor of throwing more gas on the fire of a proposed annexation after he recently called for a “ceasefire” of the inflammatory rhetoric.  

Shaw Friedman also expressed a belief the city will fail in its attempt to annex the conservancy district by not obtaining the required amount of signatures from property owners.

Friedman said multiple use of the word “safety risk” in terms of fire protection unless the water capacity of the system is increased goes against the ceasefire the mayor called for when both sides met at the end of March.

Safety risk was in quotes contained in the latest press release from the mayor’s office about the results of a study describing the system as inadequate for fighting a major industrial fire and providing for future growth.

“Alarmist statements does nothing to aid calm, deliberate debate on an issue of public importance,” Friedman said.

The study estimated the cost of upgrading the system at more than $10.5 million dollars, a cost district property owners couid face unless the city annexed and paid for the work.    

Friedman said the city setting a May 31 deadline for district property owners to submit signatures in favor of annexation also seems to stoke the flames.

“Compare this hyberbole and inflammatory statements with the careful, reasoned call by our Board President asking residents to simply wait patiently before making decisions on annexation.  I think it’s quite clear who is abiding by the “ceasefire” and who is not,” he said.

Friedman said the city seems to be on the attack again in an effort to regain momentum in its annexation effort and meeting an October 1 deadline for filing annexation petitions.

“Now, with support for annexation lagging and reports surfacing of those who previously filed consents wanting to revoke such consents…the city has apparently chosen to go on the attack again,” he said.

He said the district is waiting for action on a formal complaint it filed with the Indiana Public Access Counselor in February to try and force the city to release the findings of the study.

He said what the city just released from the study only seems to be “an edited, scrubbed version” of the original report.

Friedman said the district has ordered a study of the water system by another engineering firm and, in contrast, intends to release all of the findings so property owners have all of the facts to make an informed decision.

(La Porte, IN) - The City of La Porte has been given the results of an independent study regarding the status of water infrastructure within the 39 North Conservancy District.

The results seem to support the city’s claims that annexation is needed to upgrade the system.

NIES Engineering, a regional firm, performed the study and found that fire flow within the district is limited to a single fire hydrant, and that fire flow capacity is inadequate for a large industrial fire, according to Mayor Tom Dermody.

NIES identified and proposed three infrastructure improvements to remedy this situation at an estimated cost of more than $10.5 million.

La Porte Water Superintendent Tim Werner said these findings confirm the severity of this situation in terms of fire protection and constructing new homes and businesses in the district. 

“Not only does this create a safety risk and a nuisance for existing residents of 39 North, but it also means new development and growth is impossible given the insufficiency of 39 North’s current infrastructure system,” Werner said.

Fire Chief Andy Snyder said the safety risk created by the inadequate system is enough cause for concern.

"A fire department being limited to a single fire hydrant is a big deal.  In a situation where seconds matter, the very last thing you want your first responders to be thinking about is whether they will have enough water to extinguish a fire at your home or business," he said. 

Dermody said the city has offered to share the findings of this study with the president of the conservancy at no cost in order to help facilitate a solution in a timely fashion. He said time is of the essence. 

"Unfortunately, this problem has been ignored for far too long, making urgent action necessary," he said.,

“The city is willing to lead in this situation and take on these improvements, but we cannot make an investment of this capacity for nonresidents. The residents of 39 North should not have to foot the bill for mistakes of the past, and we are hopeful that we can all come to the table and gain support for the common sense solution that the city has proposed,” he said.

Dermody said the city has the ability to finance the improvements with help from grants.

“We have the opportunity to solve this problem right now. “Why wait for something to happen?  The time to act is now,” he said. 

Those seeking more detailed information are encouraged to attend upcoming public information meetings at the La Porte Civic Auditorium.

The sessions will take place on:

• Thursday, April 27th at 6 p.m.;
• Wednesday, May 3th at noon; and
• Thursday, May 4th at 6 p.m.

39 North residents with questions or interest in signing the petition for annexation may contact the mayor’s office at 219-362-0151.

The city has set a May 31th deadline for obtaining signatures.

(Michigan City, IN) - Police and hospital staff had to deal with more than just their hands full when dealing with a combative drunk driving suspect facing additional charges led to a purportedly super-sized tantrum.

Jeannie Sanders, 33, of Michigan City is still being held Wednesday in the La Porte County Jail. The chain of events leading up to her arrest began on April 14th, when her brother reported his vehicle stolen and identified Sanders as the suspect.

Police said he went to a residence in Michigan City to speak to her and found her allegedly passed out from alcohol consumption. Sanders later woke up and left in another vehicle where, a short time later, she was spotted by police traveling a dirt road at Friendship Gardens and was pulled over before telling an officer she left her brother's truck at a park.

Her brother went there and recovered the vehicle.

Sanders was then taken to a hospital to get her blood drawna to determine her level of alcohol consumption where she went into a tirade. Court documents revealed she had to be physically restrained because of repeated attempts to kick medical staff and bite the officer, all the while flailing her arms to prevent blood from being drawn.

The drama also included what police described as false claims of difficulty breathing, of having a heart attack, and of passing out.

Her alleged blood alcohol level was not revealed, but Sanders told investigators she drinks a fifth of vodka every day.

Sanders is charged with Operating while Intoxicated as a Felony due to having a prior conviction for Driving while Impaired.  She’s also charged with Resisting Law Enforcement and Obstruction of Justice.

The Slicers travelled to Lake Central Tuesday afternoon in a battle for first place in the DAC. LC came in at 8-1 on the year, 4-0 in conference play and rated #2 in the state. The Slicers were 8-3 and a perfect 4-0 in the conference and rated #22.

The Indians rode the strong right arm of junior Griffin Tobias, an IU early commit and two multiple run innings for a 5-0 victory.

The Slicers had scoring opportunities early but could not capitalize.

In the top of the first inning Kade Flores drew a two out and stole second. Slicer cleanup hitter RJ Anglin took a called third strike to end the inning. Same thing in the second. Keli Hay drew a one out walk, went to second on a pass ball before Tobias struck out both Kai Jones and Ryan Bruemmer to end the inning. In the third LP had their best scoring opportunity to score, Drew Catron dropped a single into right field followed by a walk to Ben Dubbs. Carter Moses laid down a sacrifice bunt to move runners to second and third.  Tobias was able to strike out both Flores and Anglin to end the inning. LP got an infield hit from Tommy Samuelson in the fourth and pinch hitter Thomas Hill was hit by a pitch the seventh but the Slicers were unable to take advantage.

The Indians jumped on Slicer starter Anglin in the bottom of the first. Leadoff man Matt Santana drew a walk, Anglin’s first of the season. Doubles by Josh Adamczewski and Hunter Snyder each drove in a run. Garrett Webber singled to knock in Snyder making it 3-0. Anglin settled in fanning three of the next four hitters.

LC picked up two unearned runs in the fourth. Santana reached on a throwing error and scored on Adamczewski’s triple. Adamczewski scored on a sacrifice fly by Snyder making it 5-0 Indians. 

Anglin suffered the loss going 4 2/3 innings giving up five runs, three earned, and five hits. He struck out five, walked three and hit one. Drew Flores finished up pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings striking out two and walking two. Tobias went the distance giving up two hits, fanning eleven, walking three and hitting one.

Catron was named the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game. He had one of the two Slicer hits and was robbed of another by right fielder Drew Koesteba who made a diving catch to rob him in fifth. Kade Flores and Bruemmer both made outstanding defensive plays for La Porte. Second basemen Flores made sliding stop moving to his left and threw out Brenden Smith from his knees to end the third. Bruemmer made a diving catch in center to end the Lake Central fourth inning. 

The Slicers have an opportunity to even the score this afternoon at 4:30. Lake Central will visit Schreiber Field for a scheduled 4:30 first pitch. If you can’t make it to the game, tune into WCOE 96.7 the Eagle for all of the action.

Photos courtesy of Susan Anglin.

(La Porte, IN) - Charges have been filed in connection with wedding rings removed from the fingers of some local nursing home residents. Macy Blake, 25, of Michigan City is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 3 Felony Robbery and three counts of Level 6 Felony Theft.

According to court documents, she was employed at Miller’s Health and Rehab in La Porte where, over a three week period beginning in January, she allegedly stole four rings from the fingers of three female residents while they slept. One woman, who had not removed her rings for years, woke up to Blake allegedly tugging on the ring of her finger hard enough to cause her finger to bleed.

Police said each of the rings was valued at $1,000 or more. Blake allegedly sold them to a pawn shop, telling investigators she needed the money to make ends meet since the nursing home wasn’t giving her enough hours at work.

She could face up to 12-years on the Robbery charge and as much as a 30-month sentence on each of the three Theft counts.

(Michigan City, IN) - Parking stickers will start being issued soon for Washington Park in Michigan City.

According to the park department, parking stickers will be available beginning May 6th at the North Pointe Pavilion in Washington Park.

Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm (excluding holidays), and on Saturdays from 9am to noon from May 6th through July 29th. 

The office will be closed on Friday and Saturday, June 9th and 10th, for the annual Singing Sands Sand Castle event.

Please are asked to bring their current vehicle registration to receive a parking sticker.  People living outside the city but with property in the city are asked to bring their current vehicle registration and a utility bill or tax bill containing the address of the property they own.

Parking stickers are free for residents of the city and $25 for La Porte County residents.  The fee is $100 for residents outside La Porte County and $150 for people living out of state.

For more information, contact the Parks & Recreation Department at 219-873-1506 or log on at  www.emichigancity.com.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte City Police officer is being recognized for putting a squeeze on drug activity.

Zachary Feldmeier received a letter of commendation from La Porte Police Chief Paul Brettin for his work leading to four drug-related arrests over a recent three month period.

“These arrests involve charges for drug possession and drug dealing and manufacturing along with the seizure of narcotics, weapons, ammunition and cash,” Brettin stated in his letter of commendation.

 

During last night’s city council meeting, Mayor Tom Dermody offered this response to the officer’s recent success.

“I know everybody believes there’s no way to do it. We will eliminate drugs in the community of La Porte,” he said.

Two of the cases involved people who had drug related warrants already out for their arrests.

Brettin said Feldmeier will begin training soon to become the department’s fourth K-9 officer.  Feldmeier has been with police officer in La Porte since 2019.

(Michigan City, IN) - An arrest was made following another shooting in Michigan City.

Early Sunday morning, officers responded to a home at 715 Madison Street on a report of disturbance and use of a firearm.

28-year-old Autumn Hernandez suffered a gunshot wound to the arm from an individual later identified by police as 24-year-old Caitlyn Bradley-Gaddis.

She was inside the residence when she allegedly fired the shot, before leaving the home on her own and being taken into custody. A handgun, along with ammunition, was recovered from the residence.

Bradley-Gaddis is charged with Level 3 Felony Aggravated Battery and three other counts, including Level 5 Felony Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon.

The victim after treated at the scene was taken to the hospital for additional medical care, police said.  

(La Porte County, IN) - More than two pounds of methamphetamine, worth tens of thousands of dollars, were recovered from a SUV passing through La Porte County on a trip from Los Angeles to New York City.

Most of the illicit substance found was contained in a safe located in the back of the motor vehicle.

Mark Taglianetti of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Sean Harman, 37, of Brooklyn, New York are both charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 2 Felony Dealing Methamphetamine and Level 4 Felony Possession of Methamphetamine.

Hallie Loetterle, 37, of Baldwin, New York is charged with Level 5 Felony Neglect of a Dependent and Possession of Paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.

According to court documents, they were in a Cadillac Escalade stopped for speeding and tailgating by La Porte County Police on the Indiana Toll Road just before 9 a.m. Sunday near Rolling Prairie. All three of the suspects showed signs of active drug usage, judging by the "classic" symptoms of glossy, bloodshot eyes and dilated pupils.

A K-9 unit at the scene, alerted to the possible presence of drugs, resulted in a search of the vehicle and discovery of a safe.

Police said officers, unable to obtain the combination to the safe inside the vehicle, pried the door open and found close to 900 grams of methamphetamine.

A much lesser amount of the drug was located in separate plastic baggies in different locations of the vehicle, as well as numerous used syringes and smoking devices recovered.

Per authorities, in the backseat of the vechile was the woman’s nine-year daughter, who was dangerously close to where some of the contraband was located. The child was turned over to the Indiana Department of Child Services until arrangements were made with family members to care for the girl.

(La Porte County, IN) - A former longtime La Porte County political figure has passed away.

Sherry Waters was 97.

Waters was a former two-term La Porte County Auditor and former two- term La Porte County Treasurer, who also served on the La Porte County Council.

A Celebration of Life Service is scheduled at 12 p.m. Thursday at St. John's Lutheran Church.

Arrangements are being handled by Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center.

(La Porte, IN) - La Porte City Police will become more visible along Pine Lake Avenue in the coming days to protect road construction workers.

Most of the work on Pine Lake Ave. is occurring right now in its intersections, with the northbound side of the four-lane state highway down to a single lane.

Police Chief Paul Brettin said extra officers will be assigned to protect road construction workers by reducing the number of speeding vehicles through visibility and enforcement.

“People have to realize those workers are right there and we want to try and keep them as safe as we possibly can,” he said.

After work on the intersections is completed, the focus will turn to resurfacing all four lanes of what was previously a two-lane highway until it was widened roughly 20 years ago.

“We’ve had no complaints yet but it will come as more and more construction workers get out there,” Brettin said.

Northbound traffic has been backed up completely across the U.S. 35 overpass at times during the morning and afternoon rush because of the existing lane closure.

The road construction work is expected to be completed in early July.

(La Porte County, IN) - It appears a naked man arrested by La Porte County Police was under the influence of methamphetamine.

Geoffrey Manthey did have work boots on to protect his feet from sticks and other ground cover, but precious little else as new details have emerged surrounding the case against the 40-year old Michigan City man.

According to police, a man on the night of April 11th answered his front door to find a stranger standing on his doorstep without a stitch of clothing on. The naked man then turned and ran toward nearby Pinhook Bog, a close-to-600 acre natural area on Wozniak Road between La Porte and Michigan City.

Responding officers in the parking lot of the area used a trail to follow the sounds of a male voice coming from a woods.  Police said Manthey was located about the length of a football into the woods with nothing but a pair of brown work boots on.

He was given a black trash bag to cover himself.

Per court documents, Manthey told officers he was looking for a cell phone he just acquired. He also revealed being under the influence of methamphetamine and aware he was naked in a park despite his impairment, according to court documents.

He could receive as much as a one-year jail sentence on a Class A Misdemeanor for Public Nudity. A status hearing in the case is scheduled May 19th in La Porte Superior Court 3.

Pinhook Bog is a National Natural Landmark and part of the Indiana Dunes National Park system.

(Wanatah, IN) - A driver parked outside a stranger’s home in Wanatah believed she was in another city before arrested for being highly impaired. Desiree Terpening, 60, is charged with Operating while Intoxicated.

According to La Porte County Police, officers were called late Saturday night about a car parked in a man’s driveway. The man reported the driver also appeared to be passed out or sleeping. Upon arrival, police said Terpening of Wanatah failed to wake up when officers opened her door and began raising their voices. Eventually, she did open her eyes.

When asked where she was at, police said the woman answered “downtown Valparaiso.”

Her alleged blood alcohol level was over four times the legal limit.

(Chesterton, IN) - South Shore commuter line service has been suspended indefinitely.

The cause is a NIPSCO pole which caught fire earlier this morning in Gary.

According to railroad officials, the fire resulted in multiple electrical wires falling, which has impacted South Shore trains which run on electricity.

Officials said service has been suspended until further notice and lengthy delays are expected.

(Valparaiso, IN) - A Chesterton man convicted of child molesting will not be getting out from behind bars for quite some time. Daniel Orshonsky was given a 46-year prison sentence last week on two counts of Child Molestation and one count of Intimidation.

Authorities said his step-daughter was just three-years-old when he persuaded her into playing doctor, before the 54-year-old man took his clothes off and had her examine him among other unspeakable acts.

She was also threatened by Orshonsky not to tell anyone. These activities happened frequently and went on for close to five years, until the girl told her mother. The molestations happened when they were alone together after her mother left for work.

At sentencing, Senior Judge Michael Bergerson called Orshonsky a “gutless and heartless pedophile” before dishing out the sentence.

Orshonsky announced plans to file an appeal. 

The Slicer baseball team traveled to Goshen for their annual doubleheader Saturday and came home with a sweep 8-0 and 7-4.

Brock Schultz stepped up in game one, tossing a two-hit shutout while striking out six. He allowed just one Redhawk to even reach second base. He was assisted by a stout defense that did not commit an error and turned two double plays. The first was a standard 5-4-3, Drew Catron to Kade Flores to Tommy Samuelson that ended the second inning. The Goshen fourth inning was ended with a line drive that deflected off Schultz’s glove in the air to Flores for the first out and Flores tossing to first to double up Braxton Cline who had strayed too far down the line.

The Slicer offense scored in four of seven innings. In the first Carter Moses singled to left with one out. Courtesy runner Keli Hay stole second and scored on Flores’s double to left. Flores advanced to third on the throw to the plate. RJ Anglin drove Flores in with a strange sacrifice fly to the second baseman Nathan Pinarski. Pinarski caught the popup at the edge of the outfield grass. Instead of running hard at Flores and forcing him back to third, he held onto the ball. Flores, who had taken several steps toward the plate trying to force a throw, bolted for home. The startled Pinarski’s throw was high and LP had a 2-0 lead after one inning. 

La Porte came up empty in the second. A single by Drew Flores and a walk to Catron put a runner on first and third with two outs. Ben Dubbs hit a hard line drive that was right at centerfielder Noah Alford for the final out. 

The Slicers picked up two more runs in the third. A leadoff single by Moses, who was replaced by courtesy runner Hay, and a walk to Kade Flores put two runners on. Anglin knocked in Hay with a base hit and later in the inning Samuelson singled in Flores to make it 4-0 LP.

The Slicers were scoreless in the fourth and fifth.

In the sixth, singles by Drew Flores and Ryan Bruemmer put runners at the corners. Catron hit a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Hay. Dubbs was hit by a pitch and Kade Flores walked to load the bases. Anglin came through again with a two-RBI single scoring both Bruemmer and Dubbs to make it 7-0 after six.

La Porte picked up an insurance run in the seventh. Hay, pinch-hitting for Samuelson, was hit by a pitch and stole second. He scored on Catron’s base hit making the final 8-0.

Schultz was named the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game for his outstanding mound performance. Anglin finished 2-3 with four RBI, Drew Flores was 2-3 with a run scored, Catron knocked in two runs and Kade Flores scored twice.

In game two it looked like the Slicers were going to make short work of the Redhawks with four runs in the first and two more in the second to take a quick 6-0 lead. 

In the top of the first Catron reached on an error by the Goshen third baseman. Kade Flores had a single to left. Both scored on Anglin’s double.  Hay followed up with a double of his own driving in Anglin and he was driven by Kai Jones’ base hit to make it 4-0.

In the second inning, AJ Mrozinske was hit by a pitch to lead things off. Ben Dubbs and Catron each had RBI singles to make it 6-0.  

Goshen sent freshman Ryan Diaz to the mound to start the third and the young curveballer quieted the Slicer bats for four innings allowing Goshen to creep back into the game.

Tommy Samuelson got the start for the Slicers, making his first mound appearance of the season. Samuelson pitched four innings, giving up one run on four hits, fanning three, walking two and hitting one. The score stood at 6-1 after four innings. 

Kade Flores came in to pitch in the bottom of the fifth. Thomas Castillo led off with an infield hit. Cline then hit a slow roller just on the shortstop side of second base with Castillo running. Anglin came over, bobbled the grounder to take away the force out then tried to get the runner at first. His throw sailed and ended up in the Goshen dugout allowing Castillo to score to make it 6-2. Goshen added two more in the inning when DH Payton Bontrager ripped a two-run double. He tried to stretch it into a triple but was thrown out at third on a solid relay throw to end the inning. The score stood at 6-4 after five.

The Slicers and Redhawks both got singles in the sixth but could not score.

LP picked up an important insurance run in the top of the seventh. Drew Flores drew a lead-off walk and scored on Bruemmer’s long double to make it 7-4.

Jones came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Goshen quickly put two men on. Catron couldn’t handle a tough hop moving to his left allowing the leadoff man Cline to reach. Quinn Shreiner-Landes reached on an infield hit to bring the tying run to the plate with no outs. Jones got the dangerous Damian Castillo to fly out deep to left then finished the Redhawks off with a strike out and ground out to preserve the victory.

Anglin was the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game. The senior shortstop was 3-4 with a run scored and three RBI in game two. For the day, he was 5-8 with a run scored and seven runs knocked in. Dubbs was also 3-4 with a run scored. Kade Flores and Keli Hay each added two hits.

The wins improve the Slicers to 8-3 on the season. La Porte will travel to Lake Central Tuesday and host the Indians on Wednesday in a battle for the top spot in the DAC. Both squads are 4-0 in conference play. Lake Central is loaded with several Division One commits. They have just one loss on the season and are the #2 rated team in Indiana. Both games are scheduled for 4:30 starts but will likely start closer to 5:00 due to travel. As always both games can be heard on WCOE 96.7 the Eagle.

(La Porte, IN) - A familiar face at the La Porte County Public Library has closed the book on a long library career.

Mary Hedge started working at La Porte Library over 41 years ago. Her first day was January 4th, 1982. “I was just so happy to have a job here,” she said, thinking back on her first days at La Porte’s historic Carnegie Library. Hedge grew up on a farm in Iowa, then attended college outside Chicago.

A lot has changed in the years that Hedge has paced the stacks answering inquisitive patrons’ questions. “It’s been a complete turnaround,” she said. “There was no computer in those days… over doubling the size of the library, over doubling the size of the library staff, adding a new branch. Now we just have so much more to do here than we used to.”

Hedge has become known as a go-to resource for genealogy and local history questions, but she’s probably best known for visiting local schools for storytime. If you were a school kid in La Porte anytime since the 1980s, Ms. Mary probably read you a story. She says she’s gotten used to seeing young readers grow up. “Now we’ve got employees here who remember me coming to Boston School to do book talks there.”

Hedge has kept up with technology, and she says now is an exciting time for a young person to start a library career. “Libraries do so much more than what they used to do, so they’re going to be around for a long time,” she said. “We have the Makerspace, where people can come in and not just do crafts, but 3-D printing and so much more than we would have ever thought of, even ten years ago in a public library.”

Following a reception Friday for the long-time librarian, Library Director Fonda Owens said Hedge’s impact is hard to measure. “There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of kids who would have seen Mary doing book talks at school,” said Owens, “and so they have that association of Mary coming to their school, talking about books and reading and coming to the library. Think about having a career where you have that much impact. It’s wonderful.”

Hedge says she’s not going very far. She’ll still be a regular library visitor. After taking a little time off, she says she plans to travel, with a trip to Asia coming up soon.

(La Porte, IN) - U.S. Representative Rudy Yakym was in La Porte Friday as part of a district-wide tour. His “Riding With Rudy Tour” has been traveling through all eleven counties in the Second District.

Yakym said he met with Mayor Tom Dermody and some City Council members. Yakum told HTNN that their discussions focused on three areas of partnership between federal and local governments.

“We took a ride on the La Porte TransPorte system,” Yakym said, “and really got to see how those federal dollars are used in La Porte to transport people around who may not have transportation themselves.”

Yakym said another area of local interest is making improvements to the La Porte Municipal Airport.

Train traffic was also discussed. Yakym said his office is already hard at work trying to pull some strings to reduce train traffic through downtown La Porte. “We want to be a resource for the local level, because the railroads tend to take our calls at the federal level when we pick up the phone and call, so our congressional staff here in the district has been really plugged in with La Porte County.”

In general, Yakym He said the high costs of inflation are evident everywhere he goes, and he’s trying hard in Washington to bring some stability back to the economy. “That is simply caused by the federal government spending much more money than we’re taking in on an annual basis," he said. "It’s a real problem."

Yakym is on the House Budget Committee, where he says debt ceiling negotiations are currently ongoing. According to Yakym, “The Congressional Budget Office estimates that if we do nothing for next year other than continue federal spending, we will have a $1.5 trillion deficit. If we do what President Biden wants us to do, we will not only increase federal taxes, but also spend so much more money that we’ll have a $1.8 trillion deficit.”

Yakym said House Republicans hope to reduce the budget “in a way that is responsible and leads to a lower deficit so we can start to restore fiscal responsibility to Washington, D.C.”

(Indianapolis, IN) - The Indiana State Police were kept busy Friday with a spree of school bomb threats across the state.

On Friday morning, police issued a statement that a threatening email message had been sent to several dozen Indiana schools referring to explosive devices being allegedly planted at various campuses.

Detectives worked with local law enforcement and school administrators throughout the day. No explosive devices were found.

As many as 35 schools were threatened, including two districts in the Goshen area and one in Lake County. No La Porte County schools reported any threats.

(Carroll County, IN) - A motion to transfer Richard Allen out of Westville Correctional Facility has been granted.

Allen stands accused of murdering teenagers Abigail Williams and Liberty German in February of 2017. Allen has been incarcerated at Westville since early November. Authorities said it was for his own safety.

However, Allen’s attorneys say his physical and mental condition has suffered from being cooped up in a cell about the size of a dog kennel. Last week they filed an emergency motion to have Allen transferred, citing a number of hardships affecting Allen’s health and legal defense.

On Friday, Judge Frances Gull approved the request, authorizing authorities “to move the Defendant within the Department of Correction to accommodate his medical and physical needs pursuant to medical directives by the Department of Correction physicians, psychiatrists or psychologists.”

Allen’s attorneys have sought to have him moved to a facility in Cass County, closer to family and his defenders. However, the actual location has not been revealed.

Allen’s next court date is June 15th for a bail review hearing.

(New Buffalo Township, MI) - A ribbon cutting was held today for a marijuana store just a stone’s throw from La Porte County.

Rolling Embers is just outside New Buffalo on State Road 239 and Wilson Road.

There are eight different types of marijuana buds available for smoking. Other products include already rolled marijuana cigarettes and marijuana-infused gummies.

The store is owned by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians near the entrance to the tribe’s Four Winds Casino.

Dr. Alex Wesaw, who’s a member of the tribe, said it’s the tribe’s first venture into the retail sale of marijuana.

“This is the result of listening directly to our citizenry, taking direction and coming together as a team.  This isn’t the effort or result of one person. This is a community working together to accomplish goals,” he said.

Also speaking was Jacques Santucci, president of Opus Consulting, which assisted in things like what the store should offer.

He said people must be at least 21-years-old to come inside and every customers will have their driver’s licenses checked.

Santucci also spoke highly of the store being in a highly visible location next to Interstate 94

“Great care has been taken in the planning and implementation of the vision to provide a curated experience to both new and seasoned cannabis consumers alike,” he said.

Rolling Embers is also one of the first marijuana stores in Michigan to have an outdoor lounge.  Customers can sit by a fire in patio type chairs and consume what they just purchased.

There’s also food truck parked beside the lounge along with live music right now on weekends and cornhole.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

A La Porte High School graduate is gaining professional experience as an intern with the Indiana House of Representatives. Matt Parrette is working the current legislative session, which is expected to end by the end of this month.

(Michigan City, IN) - An Indiana State Prison worker attacked by an inmate will not survive his injuries, per an announcement from prison officials yesterday.

Authorities stated the victim, Mike Keel, was a maintenance foreman and had been employed at the prison on Michigan City’s west side for close to 30 years. Keel was in a prison steel shop where inmates work when he was struck on the head with a steel pipe on Monday.

The inmate suspected in the attack, Jeremy Davidson, 39, of Logansport is serving a 169 year prison sentence for multiple counts of Child Molestation. He now could be charged with murder.

Prison officials said funeral arrangements for Keel will be announced soon.

Coach Scott Upp expressed concern over the Slicers inability to get key hits with men on base this past week. He noted that La Porte left men on base in seven of the eleven innings during Tuesday night’s 2-1 win. Problem solved for at least one night. LP travelled to Crown Point Wednesday afternoon banging out 10 hits and leaving only three men on base in an 11-1 five inning win. The win improves the Slicers record to 6-3 and 4-0 in the Duneland Conference.

La Porte jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the first inning, scoring after two were out. Ben Dubbs and Carter Moses both flew out to center field to open the game. Kade Flores reached on an error by the first baseman, stole second and scored on RJ Anglin’s single to right center. Kai Jones smashed a line drive to right at Bulldog right fielder Ryan Radanovich to end the inning. 

Senior lefty Grant Olson got the start for La Porte and was nearly unhittable for the first three innings. Leadoff man Luke Burford grounded to Jones in the bottom of the first inning. Olson struck out the next two hitters. In the second Olson struck out the side and issued two walks. In the third he struck out three and walked three. Crown Point sent thirteen hitters to plate in between fair balls.

The Slicers made it 2-0 in the third. Drew Catron smashed a double to the right field fence. He moved to third on Dubbs’ ground out to second. Moses drew a walk and Flores was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Anglin then skied a popup into short center field. Bulldog center fielder JJ Johnson never saw the ball due to the bright sun and it fell in for a single. Only one run scored as the runners were tagging up. Jones, who has been hitting with incredibly bad luck recently, hit a hard ground ball that brought shortstop Burford right to second base for an easy shortstop to first double play to end the inning.

La Porte broke the game open in the fourth scoring five run to increase their lead to 7-0. Tommy Samuelson was hit by a pitch to lead things off. DH Jax Land hit a one hopper right back to pitcher Aslyn Farinelli that looked to be a perfect double play ball. Farinelli’s throw to second was high and both runners were safe. Crown Point brought in reliever Logan Cotton. Ryan Bruemmer surprised CP with a perfect two strike bunt down the third base line to load the bases. Catron ripped a single to drive in two runs putting runners at first and third. Dubbs followed with a hit to drive in two. Flores’s ground out drove in Dubbs.

In the bottom of the fourth Olson allowed a leadoff single from Johnson and a one out hit from Noah Erlich. After Olson go Caleb Schoonover to pop up, Kade Flores made the defensive play of the year so far. Burford hit a hard grounder up the middle. Flores snagged the ball with a full extension dive, summersaulted and was still able to make a solid throw to Samuelson to get the speedy Burford. The score remained 7-0 after four.

The Slicers took an 11-0 lead with a four run top of the fifth. Jones doubled to right field and scored on Samuelson’s base hit. After Land struck out, Bruemmer got an infield hit to put runners on first and second. A wild pitch moved them to second and third. Both scored on Catron’s third hit and second double of the game. Catron scored on a throwing error by the left fielder after a fly out.

Crown Point needed to score two runs in the bottom of the fifth to avoid a ten run mercy rule loss. They got only one. Olson fanned pinch hitter Austin Leeming to start the inning. He walked Blake Sabau, who was pinch run for by Bryce Schuster. Schuster advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Linus Chariton’s base hit. Anglin made a nice catch deep down the right field line for the second out and Olson got Johnson looking for the final out.

Olson picked up his third win of the year pitching all five innings, striking out eleven, walking six while allowing just one run and three hits. He was named co Salisbury and Spence Player of the game along with Catron who was three for three with two doubles, three runs scored and four RBI. Anglin and Bruemmer each had two hits. Anglin knocked in two and Bruemmer scored twice.

La Porte travels to Goshen Saturday for the annual double header with the Redhawks. First pitch scheduled for 10:00 AM Central time. Both games can be heard on WCOE 96.7 the Eagle. Pregame at 9:45.

Photos courtesy of Susan Anglin.

(New Buffalo Township, MI) - A ribbon cutting is scheduled today at the new cannabis retail store outside New Buffalo. Rolling Embers opened in early April just north of the Indiana state line along Michigan 239 at Wilson Road.

A formal ribbon cutting is scheduled at 10:30 a.m.

The cannabis store is owned by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians near the tribe’s Four Winds Casino.

The store features an outdoor consumption lounge to consume purchased products from the store.

A man was seriously hurt early this afternoon when he apparently fell from a tree stand in southern La Porte County. Initial reports indicate the 64-year-old man suffered a broken leg and other possible injuries in the 2500 block of West 1250 South.

A medical helicopter was called to transport the man to a hospital due to the serious nature of the injuries.  He was treated by paramedics who reached him by driving an ambulance into a field prior to the arrival of the medical helicopter.

Emergency responders reported the tree stand was about 15 feet above the ground and the man landed on an object described only as a "claw."

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

(Michigan City, IN) - Another shooting has occurred in Michigan City, with the latest incident ocurring Tuesday around 7 p.m. at the lakefront.

According to police, officers were dispatched to the main parking lot at Washington Park on a report of an individual just being shot in the leg. A vehicle occupied by the victim was heading to Franciscan Health, the hospital just outside the Michigan City corporate boundaries.  Some of the officers secured the crime scene while other responding officers located the vehicle and escorted it to the hospital.

Wilton Coleman, Jr., 23, was treated for a gunshot wound described as “non-life threatening." Statements from witnesses and other evidence were collected and no arrests were immediately made, though authorities also noted the shooting was not a random act.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Michigan City Police and requests can be made to remain anonymous.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man who allegedly led police on a high speed chase is scheduled to make his initial appearance in La Porte Circuit Court tomorrow.

On April 3rd, police said Dustin Biddle was traveling 100 miles per hour early in the chase in a residential area on A Street in La Porte. At one point, the chase veered onto U.S 35 and other roads like 250 South, leading an officer behind him to crash into a guard rail and tree before ending in the area of 800 East and Indiana 104. 

Police said the officer who crashed his vehicle wound up with burns and abrasions from the airbags deploying.

According to court documents, Biddle, 36, fled when the officer tried stopping him for driving on a suspended license.

Biddle is still being held in the La Porte County Jail pending the outcome of his arraignment. 

(La Porte, IN) - A driver sleeping in a car with the engine running in downtown La Porte was not dreaming when she found herself wearing handcuffs. Haley Binversie, 28, of La Porte is charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Operating while Intoxicated.

According to court documents, it was close to midnight on April 8th when police were called to the area of Jefferson and Jackson Streets. Officers found her slumped over the wheel of a stopped but still running vehicle.

Binversie did not wake up after police announced their presence and began knocking on the window. She didn’t open her eyes until her car, now rolling backwards, struck an SUV parked behind her.

Binversie, who had not consumed any alcohol, exhibited signs of impairment. She was also charged with Possession of Paraphernalia.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Police responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle arrested Jason Bailey, 36, and Tiffany Ransom, 34, who are each facing two drug-related felony counts.

The two, both of La Porte, were in a disabled vehicle in front of a residence on April 8th where Ransom was found with methamphetamine and codeine while Bailey was in possession of a syringe.

Bailey was taken to the hospital to be monitored after claiming he ingested fentanyl. He was later medically cleared and taken to the La Porte County Jail where he was also held on four outstanding arrest warrants.

In 2011, Bailey was given an eight year prison sentence for contributing to the delinquency of a minor in a case involving heroin, according to court records.

He was given another eight year prison sentence later on a burglary conviction.

Ransom is also facing several previous methamphetamine related charges that have not been decided yet in the courts.

(La Porte, IN) - The City of La Porte unveiled today its entertainment lineup for the Friday night of this summer’s LakeFest.

Catalina Wine Mixer, a 70’s tribute band, will perform at 7:30 p.m. on July 28 at Stone Lake Beach.

Park Department Superintendent Mark Schreiber said those with boats are once again invited to float in near the shore and enjoy the “yacht rock” from the water.

The entertainment begins that evening with a DJ playing favorites beginning at 6 p.m.

Justin Roberts, a Grammy-nominated children’s artist, will perform a family-friendly concert at 7 p.m. at the Dennis F. Smith Amphitheater in Fox Park.

Opening the show will be Kalita Magic at 6 p.m.  Both shows are free to the public and open to all ages. 

“We love the idea of creating an opportunity for everyone to find something they enjoy at LakeFest, which is why we are again offering two vastly different entertainment lineups. We hope to see a full crowd at both shows,” Schreiber said.

Schreiber said Latin music and dancing for Fiesta del Lago will also return on July 30 at Fox Park. The big announcement on the featured concert on Saturday, July 29, will be released in the coming days.

For more information on these performances and other LakeFest attractions, visit www.laportelakefest.com. 

(La Porte County, IN) - A La Porte County man answered knocking on his door to find a man standing there in his birthday suit. At about 10 p.m. last night, La Porte County Police officer Justin Gorny was dispatched to Pinhook Bog, where a nearby citizen reported opening his door to the knocking of a man who happened to be completely nude.

He said the naked man turned and took off running toward Pinhook Bog.

Gorny and several more officers discussing the situation in the parking lot of the nature area heard a male voice coming from the direction of a nearby woods.  

The officers, using trails to move closer to the sounds, located the suspect still without a stitch of clothing on about 75 yards into the woods.  

Geoffrey Manthey, 40, of Michigan City told officers he was attempting to locate his cell phone before being arrested on a charge of Public Nudity. The Class A misdemeanor offense could bring him as much as a one-year jail sentence.

Pinhook Bog, a National Natural Landmark and part of Indiana Dunes National Park, covers nearly 600 acres along Wozniak Road in rural Coolspring Township.

(Michigan City, IN) - A man running for mayor doesn’t want Michigan City to run the risk of becoming another Gary in terms of decline brought on by crime. Candidate Mark Yagelski said residents he meets on the campaign trail seem most concerned about the number of shootings and rise in other crimes.

Yagelski said the image of a community as being unsafe can have a major negative impact, and that he doesn’t want Michigan City’s reputation to rise to the level plaguing crime-ridden Gary for decades.

He recalled the damage to the image of Gary from that city once being declared the “Murder Capital of America.”

“The perception is we’re unsafe right now.  We have to change that.  That can destroy a city.  I don’t want it to get to that level.  That's why I wanted to run,” he said.

Yagelski said his plan to reduce crime includes higher pay for police officers to reverse turnover and restore a department that once had more than 90 officers. Most recently, the number of police officers in the community stood in the upper 70’s.

Yagelski, who presently serves on the La Porte County Council, said the pay increase for Michigan City officers in recent months was not at the level that seems to have stopped the turnover at the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office.

“We’re in the hole right now.  We got to get out of the hole,” he said.

Yagelski is one of five Democrats seeking the party’s nomination in the May primary. He’s opposed by former two term mayor Ron Meer, city councilpersons Angie Nelson Deuitch and Michael Mack along with former city councilman Johnny Stimley, who also used to be the La Porte County Recorder. 

(Michigan City, IN) - There was a collision last night between a freight train and charter bus in Michigan City where only one of the 13 passengers aboard needed to be taken to a hospital, authorities said.

The bus was taking passengers of the South Shore Railroad commuter line from the Carroll Avenue station to Gary, before pulling out in front of a South Shore freight train at around 8 p.m. at a crossing just a short distance from the passenger station.

Mike Noland, who’s president and general manager of the commuter line, said the freight train was not traveling very fast when its brakes were applied.

Impact was made a short time later.

“There was a very low speed collision,” he said.

Noland said the condition of the person taken to a hospital was not known but he doesn’t believe the injuries were serious.

Buses are being used to transport commuter line riders to and from Michigan City and Gary due to ongoing construction of what’s commonly referred to as the “double track” between the cities.  

Noland said the passengers arrived at the Carroll Avenue station from South Bend and were placed on the charter bus to resume their westbound trip.

Trains are still running from Michigan City to and from South Bend and from Gary to and from Chicago.

La Porte and Crown Point have engaged in some epic battles over the years. Tuesday night’s 11 inning 2-1 win by the Slicers rates with the best of them. 

La Porte’s RJ Anglin and CP’s Ryan Radanovich hooked up in a classic pitcher’s duel. 

It didn’t start well for the La Porte. Crown Point leadoff man Luke Burford started the game with a ground ball to first. Tommy Samuelson misplayed the tricky hop and the Bulldogs had a man on first with no one out. Chris Gloff put down a sacrifice bunt moving Burford to second. Anglin then got Blake Sabau to fly to left and Jase Horton to ground out to second. Those three outs were the first of twelve straight Bulldogs retired by Anglin through the first four innings.

Radanovich, though not perfect, held the Slicers in check through the first four innings. He allowed a Tommy Samuelson single with two outs in the second, walked both Drew Catron and Ben Dubbs with one out in the third before retiring the next two hitters, and hit Samuelson with a pitch in the fourth.    La Porte was unable take advantage of these opportunities while leaving four base runners stranded.

Crown Point broke the scoreless tie in the fifth. Anglin jammed leadoff man Connor Cotton with a fastball on the bat handle. Cotton was able to bloop it into right field just in front of a diving Keli Hay for a double. Noah Ehrlick bunted him to third before Radanovich drove in the run with a sacrifice fly to left field making it 1-0 Bulldogs.

It looked like the 1-0 lead might hold up. In the bottom of the fifth the Slicers caught a break when Ryan Bruemmer reached on a dropped third strike to start the inning. Catron moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. After Dubbs popped up to short, Moses reached base on an error. Kade Flores walked to load the bases but Radanvich got Anglin to ground out to second to end the inning.

Anglin gave up a two out single to Gloff in the top of the sixth but got out of the inning with score still 1-0. The Slicers continued to be frustrated offensively in the bottom of the sixth. Crown Point center fielder JJ Johnson made a diving catch of Kai Jones’ line drive to lead off the inning. Samuelson grounded out to second for out number two. Pinch hitter Jax Land drew a walk. After Radanovich threw ball one to Bruemmer, Bulldog coach Steve Strayer made a pitching change bringing in lanky lefty Blake Newell. Coach Scott Upp sent AJ Mrosinke in to hit for Breummer. Hay who reentered to game to run for Land stole second but was stranded there when Newell struck out Mrozinske.

Anglin retired the Bulldogs in order in the top of the seventh setting up do or die time for the Slicers. 

Catron fouled out to the first baseman to start the inning. The Slicers were two outs away from dropping their third straight game and falling a game behind both CP and Lake Central in the Duneland Conference standings. Then up stepped Dubbs, who has been La Porte best hitter in the early going. Dubbs smashed a curveball to the right center field fence and sprinted to third for a one out triple. The Bulldogs pulled their corner infielders in but left the shortstop and second baseman at normal depth. Carter Moses was able to slap a ground ball to second driving in the tying run. The Slicers just about won the game in regulation when Kade Flores hit a deep fly to right center. He was robbed of extra bases when Johnson made an acrobatic leaping catch to end the inning with the score tied 1-1. 

In the eighth Anglin hit Johnson with a pitch but got out of the inning with a couple strikeouts and a popup to short. In the bottom of the eighth LP went three up three down with center fielder Johnson taking an extra base hit away from Jones with another spectacular running catch.

Anglin struck out Gloff to start the ninth putting him at 103 pitches. Coach Upp came out and made a pitching change, bringing Jones in from shortstop to pitch. He sent Anglin to left field, moved Kade Flores from second to short and brought Dubbs in from left to play second base. Jones walked Sabau then got Horton to hit into a 6-4-3 double play, Flores to Dubbs to Samuelson to end the inning. 

La Porte was unable to take advantage of a Hay infield hit in the bottom of the ninth. Bruemmer bunted him second, Catron grounded out to third, Dubbs was intentionally walked before Moses was called out on strikes.

Jones struck out Cotton and Ehrlich to start the tenth then lost control of the strike zone. He walked the next three hitters before getting Burford to line out to Bruemmer in center. Flores singled to start the bottom of the tenth inning and stole second. Anglin struck out for the first out, then Flores was thrown out at third trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt. Jones fanned to end the inning.

In the top of the eleventh first baseman Samuelson picked up a chopper moving to his right and made a great toss to Jones covering first for the close out. The play looked even bigger after Sabau ripped a single to left that Anglin couldn’t pick up cleanly allowing Sabau to advance to second. Jones buckled down and got Horton to foul out and Cotton looking to end the inning.

The score remained 1-1 and the stage was set for the bottom of the eleventh. Samuelson hit a hard ground ball up the middle. Bulldog second baseman Caleb Schoonover slid on one knee making the stop. He could not get enough on his throw to first and Samuelson had an infield hit. Hay laid down a sacrifice bunt moving Samuelson to second. Bruemmer swung and missed a two strike Newell curve that broke into the dirt. The catcher Horton kept the ball in front of him but couldn’t get a tag on Bruemmer., He stepped in front of home plate trying to look  Samuelson back to second. With the speedy Bruemmer hustling toward first Huston had to throw it for the out. The moment he released the throw, Samuelson bolted for third. First baseman Sabau caught the throw to retire Bruemmer then threw across the infield attempting to cut down Samuelson. The throw skipped past third baseman Aslyn Farinelli, the sliding Samuelson hopped up and sprinted home for the winning run.  

All four pitchers were superb. Anglin pitched 8 1/3 innings giving up one run on two hits. He struck out eight, walked no one and hit one batter. Radanovich went 5 2/3 innings, allowed just one hit, struck out seven, walked four and hit one batter. Jones got the win pitching 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief. He struck out two, walked four and gave up one hit. Newell was the hard luck loser. He pitched five innings gave up two runs, only one earned, struck out seven and walked one. 

Anglin and Samuelson were named co Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones players of the game. Crown Point left fielder Connor Cotton and relief pitcher Logan Cotton are the sons of Slicer State Champion and Baseball Hall of Famer Jason Cotton.

La Porte improves to 5-3 on the year and a perfect 3-0 in the DAC. Crown Point falls to 5-3 and are 2-1 in the DAC. The Slicers and Lake Central are tied at the top of the DAC standings. The Slicers and Crown Point play again at CP Wednesday night first pitch scheduled for 4:30.

Photos courtesy of Susan Anglin.

(Mishawaka, IN) - One person was killed in a collision between a UPS semi-truck and passenger vehicle on the Indiana Toll Road outside Mishawaka yesterday.

According to police, it appears the brakes on the UPS truck, pulling two trailers, locked up.  The semi came to stop with one of the trailers in the one of the westbound lanes, leading to a car approaching from behind striking the rear corner of the trailer. A passenger in the car was pronounced dead at the scene while none of the drivers were injured.

What caused the brakes to lock will be determined from an inspection.

The westbound lanes were closed for several hours after the Tuesday morning collision.  Per the authorities, neither alcohol nor drugs appear to have been involved, but the crash remains under investigation.

So far, the name and age of the victim has not been released.

(Michigan City, IN) - A 21-year-old Michigan City woman is accused of allegedly having given a girl she knew from a school basketball team alcohol and marijuana following police investigation. The suspect in question, Denaya Hall, is also accused of trying to seduce the girl, found to be thirteen-years-old. 

According to court documents, police were contacted after Hall dropped the girl off outside her home during the early morning hours of March 22nd. The girl stumbled her way across the front yard and into the front door then fell backwards onto a sidewalk. A relative found her incoherent in her bedroom, leading her to be taken by ambulance to a hospital where marijuana was found in her system.

Text messages exchanged between Hall and the girl revealed she had given the teenager alcohol and marijuana on more than one occasion. Further texts also indicated there were attempts by Hall to seduce the girl.

Hall was an assistant manager for the boys’ basketball team at Krueger Middle School while the girl held a similar position on the squad, police said.

Hall has since been relieved of her duties.

(La Porte County, IN) - An allegedy-impaired driver caused a two-vehicle collision late Monday night outside La Porte. Charles Egolf, 63, is charged with Operating while Intoxicated.

According to La Porte County Police, he was attempting to cross U.S. 35 on 400 West in his 2012 Jeep Wrangler when he struck another vehicle driven by Kenneth King. Egolf denied having anything to drink after an officer detected what he described an odor of alcohol on his breath. The officer's suspicions were raised further when Egolf responded "Saturday" when asked to name the day of the week. 

Police said the La Porte area man had a blood alcohol level of .237-percent or close to three times the legal limit.

No major injuries were reported in the crash, which occurred just before 11 p.m.

(Michigan City, IN) - An employee at Indiana State Prison in Michigan City was seriously hurt when struck on the head with a steel pipe allegedly by an inmate.

LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said a decision on charges will not be made until after Indiana State Police completes their investigation and presents the findings to his office for review.

The suspect, Jeremy Davidson, 39, of Logansport is serving a virtual life sentence on multiple counts of child molesting with a release date in 2192. According to ISP, inmates were working in the prison’s steel work shop Monday afternoon when an argument erupted between Davidson and a shop supervisor.  At some point, Davidson allegedly struck the supervisor on the head with a steel pipe.

The force of the impact caused potentially life threatening injuries, ISP said. The unidentified civilian employee was taken by helicopter to Memorial Hospital in South Bend.

Police said he underwent emergency treatment and remained in critical condition.

Davidson was taken into custody and transferred to another facility, police said.

Fagan said a decision on charges cannot be made until he has a clearer picture of what transpired.  Other factors in his decision making include whether the victim survives and, if so, what future challenges he might have to overcome in his recovery.

“We’re needing the fog of war to kind of lift for us to better ascertain the situation,” he said.

(South Bend, IN) - A Michigan City man has received a federal prison sentence for distributing child pornography.

Earl Rauschenberg, 46, was sentenced after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court in South Bend.

Authorities said he uploaded to the Internet a video depicting child pornography a year after havingserved time in prison for possession of child pornography.

Rauschenberg was given a 15-year prison sentence followed by seven years of supervised release.

(Michigan City, IN) - People gathered to celebrate their polish heritage in Michigan City on Monday with handshakes, hugs, spirited conversation and shots of blackberry brandy.

There was also beer, polish food and a polka band drawing people to the dance floor at the St. Joseph’s Young Men’s Society at 2001 Franklin Street.

Not many communities in Northwest Indiana celebrate Dyngus Day, a centuries old holiday rooted in Poland to celebrate the end of Lent following Easter.

Carrie Steinhiser and five of her friends kicked off their celebration by driving to the Crumstown Conservation Club in North Liberty and the Polish Falcons Club in South Bend before returning for the festivities in Michigan City.

“Super packed.  Lots of people dancing and eating the polish food.  It was awesome,” she said.

Don Przybylinski recalled how his grandmother came here from Poland and taught herself how to read, write and speak English.

Przbylinski said he and his six siblings were taught how to dance to polka music by their mother during polka songs performed on the Lawrence Welk television show a half century ago. He and his wife, Jinny, danced to a few songs while the band played from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“We all love Dyngus Day,” he said.

Patrick Nevorski said he’s attended the holiday festivities at the club annually for close to 40 years. The camaraderie is what he especially enjoys.

“You got to have the brotherhood in the community.  If you don’t have that, you don’t have nothing to me,” he said.

Nevorski took part in the polish tradition of having shots of blackberry brandy with friends such as La Porte County Councilman Mark Yagelski.

Yagelski, a candidate for mayor, said Dyngus Day is also a way of celebrating the beginning of spring especially when the weather is nice.

“We have a lot of fun with it,” he said.

Rob Pahs said he never misses a Dyngus Day celebration at the club.

“Whether you’re polish or not, everybody comes down. It’s just good. Good people. Good times,” he said.

The serving of drinks and live music were in the packed basement of the club founded over a century ago.   Polish dishes like pierogis, sausage and sauerkraut and kluski noodles prepared in the full kitchen were served upstairs. Jacob Gutowski, president of the club this year, said carry out meals were also available.

“Just a good time and a lot of people hanging out drinking,” he said.

Jonny Fletcher of Valparaiso said he grew up in Michigan City and has come back here to celebrate the holiday annually for about the past 10 years.

“We always have a good time.  It’s just a good atmosphere,” he said.

“Every year, this is the place to be in Michigan City,” said Jeff Yackus,a past president and current treasurer of the club.   He said traditional hit polka songs like “Roll Out The Barrel” and “Who Stole The Kiszka” are always among the crowd favorites.

“You’ll get people out here dancing all night,” Yackus said.

Dyngus Day is also celebrated annually in La Porte where buses are provided by tavern owners for people to ride to each of the bars taking part in the celebration. There were 11 bars on this year’s bus route, which ran from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The La Porte baseball team made the long trip to Logansport Saturday and dropped a doubleheader 11-9 and 5-3 to the Berries. 

In game one, Logansport scored a run in the bottom of the first inning off Slicer starter Brock Schultz. The Berries loaded the bases with no outs on a base hit, error, and bunt single. Schultz struck out the next two hitters before hitting Tristan Kitchell with a pitch to drive in the game’s first run.

La Porte bounced back in the top of the second inning. RJ Anglin led off with a single to right field. Kai Jones drew a walk but was forced out at second on Tommy Samuelson’s grounder to third. After Jax Land popped out for the second out Ryan Bruemmer launched a high fly ball to left field. Left fielder Bodie Jones, fighting both wind and the sun was not able to make the play. The ball fell for a two run double giving the Slicers a 2-1 advantage. 

Logansport counter with three runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning. After Schultz struck out Brennan Goforth, number nine hitter Izak Mock got an infield single. After Isaac Russell popped up to Jones in right, Jeremiah Miller doubled to left putting runners at second and third.  Grayson Long was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Dylan Pearson doubled clearing the bases and giving Logan a 4-2 lead. 

The Berries stretched their lead to 8-2 with four runs in third. They used a dropped third strike, two more hit batsman and three singles to pick up four runs in the inning. The big hit was a one out two run single by Pearson who drove in five runs in the opener.

LP picked up two runs in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to 8-4. Ben Dubbs singled to start the inning. Carter Moses lined out to center before Kade Flores ripped an RBI triple to right center field. Anglin singled to knock in Flores. 

Logansport came right back in the bottom of the fifth for three more runs. A leadoff walk to Russell was followed by Miller’s single to left. First baseman and third hitter Long then blasted a scoreboard clearing homer to left giving the Berries an 11-4 edge.

In the sixth the Slicers used a leadoff double by Land and an error by the left fielder to pick up a run and cut the lead to 11-5. La Porte overcame a hit batsman and base hit in the bottom of the 6th with a line drive shortstop to first double play.

La Porte’s rally in the seventh inning fell just short. After a ground out to start the inning, Anglin tripled and Jones walked. Anglin scored when third basemen Pearson committed an error on Samuleson’s grounder. After Land struck out Bruemmer was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Drew Catron then drove in two runs with a single making it 11-8 Logansport. Dubbs reached on an error to reload the bases and Moses drew a walk driving in LP’s ninth run. Lefty Carson Dubes came in to pitch for Logan and got Flores to ground into a force out to end the game. 

Anglin was named the Salisbury and Spence Player of the game going 3-4 with a triple, scoring a run a driving in a run. Flores was 2-5, tripling, scoring a run and driving one in. Slicer pitchers Schultz and Drew Flores combined to strike out seven hitters but hit Logan hitters six times.

In game two the Slicers jumped ahead in the first inning. Dubbs singled and stole second and later third. Jones walked and stole second. After a Kade Flores strike out, Anglin grounded out to first driving in Dubbs giving LP a 1-0 lead.

La Porte picked up two more runs in the third. AJ Mrozinske had a one out infield single. Drew Flores followed up with high chopper of off the plate for another infield hit. Kelli Hay lined a base hit to right loading the bases. Catron singled to knock in Mrozinske. Dubbs hit into a force out to drive in the second run of the inning. La Porte led 3-0. 

Logansport picked up a single run in the bottom of the fourth inning Tristen Kitchell singled and stole second. Cooper Smith walked before Goforth singled in Kitchell.

The Berries took the lead back for good in the bottom of the fifth. Singles by Russell, Miller and Long loaded the bases. After Pearson popped to shortstop, DH Kaiden Lucero laced a hit to left driving in two to tie the game at three. Kitchell struck out then Cooper Smith doubled down the left field line driving in two to give Logansport a 5-3 edge.

The Slicers tried to rally in the top of the seventh. Singles by Dubbs, pinch hitter Thomas Hill and a walk to Kade Flores loaded the bases for Anglin. RJ hit a hard line drive right at the second basemen Smith who made the catch and flipped the ball to second for a double play. Samuelson bounced out to the pitcher and the Slicers fell 5-3.

Dubbs was named the Salisbury and Spence Player of the Game. He was 3-4 with an RBI, a run scored and he stole five bases in game two. Hay also had multiple hits going 2-3 with a stolen base. Drew Flores, Jones and Anglin shared mound duties for LP.  

The Slicers who are now 4-3 on the season and 2-0 in the DAC host conference foe Crown Point at Schreiber Field Tuesday. First pitch scheduled for 4:30. LP will travel to Crown Point on Wednesday. The Slicers will finish week with a double header at Goshen Saturday starting at 10:00 AM. You can listen to every pitch of Slicer baseball on 96.7 the Eagle WCOE.

(La Porte County, IN) - The burning of leaves apparently resulted in a barn catching fire in the Wanatah area just before the start of the weekend.

According to La Porte County Police, emergency responders were called Friday afternoon to the 13000 block of S. 750 West where, upon arrival, the south wall of the roughly 1,500 square foot barn was on fire along with the surrounding grass.  A garden hose was used to put out most of the flames before the arrival of firefighters, who extinguished the rest of the fire.

Kellie Rinker, 44, told investigators she was burning leaves in a fire pit located about 20 feet away from the barn. Rinker said she went inside her house for several minutes then heard what sounded like “glass breaking,” according to police.  She looked outside and discovered the fire had spread to the barn.

The south wall of the barn along with part of the roof were damaged by the fire, police said. 

(La Porte, IN) - The cause of a house fire in La Porte last week appears to have been electrical in nature.

Heavy smoke was coming from the structure when firefighters arrived at the house Wednesday afternoon in the 400 block of Marquette Street. Fire Chief Andy Snyder said the house had been vacant for several months, but still had electrical service. He said notice had also been previously given to the property owner that it possibly was going to be condemned “because of it being vacant for so long and the disrepair the structure was in.”

The fire was ultimately brought under control in less than 15 minutes. Fire damage was not major but the structure might have to be torn down given the poor condition it was in prior to the fire.

“It’ll be questionable whether it will be able to be repaired or not,” he said.

Snyder said neighbors reported people were going in and out of the house at different times of the day on a number of occasions while it was vacant.

He said the electrical source of the fire was still being looked into but nothing suspicious in nature about the fire has turned up, so far, in the ongoing investigation. 

(Rolling Prairie, IN) - A man was seriously injured in a single vehicle crash in Rolling Prairie over the weekend.

According to La Porte County Police, 52-year-old Brian Pleasant was eastbound on Michigan Street when he veered off the road to his left. His Volkswagen Beetle struck a street sign, an AT&T box and a tree in front of Rolling Elementary School, before rolling and ultimately coming to rest on its wheels. 

The crash occurred about 8: 30 a.m. on Saturday.

Authorities state Pleasant was unconscious and extricated from the wreckage by firefighters, before being taken by medical helicopter to a hospital in South Bend with a head injury. The Lake Station man traveled close to 300 feet off the road before striking the tree.

So far, police have given no indications on whether alcohol or drugs might have been involved.

(La Porte, IN) - The annual Dyngus Day celebration is today in La Porte. 11 bars offering polish food and drink specials along with music at some locations are on the designated route.

Buses taking people from bar to bar will run from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., said Howie Hunsley, chairman of the Dyngus Day committee and owner of Dick’s Bar.

Hunsley said he has the usual kluski noodles over mashed potatoes along with kielbasa and sauerkraut on his food menu. 

Buttons will also be given out at each bar for people to wear for displaying their Dyngus Day spirit.

“We’re just going to have a really good time,” he said.

Cabbage rolls are the Polish food on the menu at Burger Bar and Grill, where everyone receives a button on a Hawaiian style necklace to drape around their necks, per owner Shelly Tanksley, who went on to assure that more cabbage rolls are being made this year after running out of them during last year’s Dyngus Day festivities.

“Once the buses start rolling, it gets a little crazy,” she said.

Bar owners are hoping the warm, sunny weather day will increase today’s turnout for the celebration now in its 36^th year in La Porte.

The La Porte High School baseball team only managed four hits vs Griffith, but took full advantage of the Panther’s generosity to win Friday night’s matchup 11-1 in five innings at Schreiber Field. Griffith pitchers walked twelve and hit four batters while their defense committed six errors.  

The Panthers jumped out to 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Slicer lefty, Grant Olson issued a one out walk to Jaylen Rutherford. Rutherford moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a ground out to second baseman Kade Flores. Andrew Jiminez dropped a soft liner into left center field to drive in the run. 

La Porte countered with two runs in the bottom of the first without the benefit of a hit. Carter Moses reached on a throwing error. Courtesy runner Drew Flores stole second. Kade Flores drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Pitcher Carter Crowe attempted to pick Kade Flores off of first base. First baseman Nolan Davenport didn’t get the message and the ball went all the way to the fence. Drew Flores scored from second and brother Kade wound up on third. RJ Anglin lofted a short fly ball to right field. It was deep enough to score Kade Flores giving the Slicers a 2-1 edge. Kai Jones and Tommy Samuelson were both hit by pitches before Crowe struck out Kelli Hay for the final out. 

The Slicers made it 3-1 in the third. Anglin drew a one out walk and moved to second on a bad pickoff attempt. Kai Jones’ pop up dropped in for a single but Anglin was unable to advance. Samuelson lined out to center field. Anglin tagged went to third and was able to score on the throwing error. 

LP broke the game open scoring six runs in the fourth inning on just two hits while Panther pitchers walked five and the defense committed two more errors. The Slicers led 9-1 heading into the fifth.

Griffith threatened in the top of the fifth but left the bases loaded against Slicer reliever Drew Flores LP closed the game out with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Drew Catron singled to right and Ben Dubbs was hit by a pitch. A walk to Moses loaded the bases and then RBI walks to pinch hitters Jax Land and AJ Mrozinske gave LP the 11-1 win.

Olson picked up the win working four innings giving up one run and three hits. He struck out four, walked four and hit one batter. Moses was named the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game.

La Porte travels to Logansport Saturday for a double header. First pitch 10:00 AM Central time.

Photos courtesy of Susan Anglin.

(Rolling Prairie, IN) - One person was injured in a single vehicle crash in Rolling Prairie over the weekend.

It happened Saturday morning in front of Rolling Prairie Elementary School. La Porte County Police said the vehicle was eastbound on Michigan St. when it veered off the road to the left and struck a tree before rolling.

The driver was treated at a regional hospital.

We’ll provide further details as they’re made available.

(La Porte, IN) - Construction is in the early stages of a new three-story restaurant on Pine Lake Avenue, and final plans for the interior design are still in the works. That’s the latest update from the property’s developer, who met with the La Porte County Alcoholic Beverage Commission on Thursday.

Restaurateur Brandon Jones addressed the Beverage Commission seeking to take over the liqueur license from Thunderbird Lanes, which was located where his new eatery is going.

Jones described the food menu as “traditional upscale American cuisine.” The menu itself is also a work in progress, Jones admitted. “It’s definitely a bit different than what I come from,” he told the Beverage Commission. “I come from a bar; it’s not bar food. I come from casual dining, like Buffalo Wild Wings; it’s not that either. So I’m really going out of my comfort zone a little bit to try something a little different, and bring something different to La Porte."

Jones is no newcomer to the food business. “I started cooking in a bar when I was 14, [now] I own 40 restaurants, mostly in Indiana,” he said. He has restaurants of various types in eight states, spanning from Florida to Alaska. “Most are franchises, most are Buffalo Wild Wings,” he continued, “but this is the first one I’ve done from scratch… It’s been a fun process putting this together and going from scratch rather than having to go off a franchise cookie cutter, although it’s a lot easier that way.” 

Jones said he expects the new restaurant to be open by early October. Right now, he told the Beverage Commission, he’s calling the restaurant Drift, but admitted that the name is likely to change.

(Carroll County, IN) - Westville Prison is now involved in the ever-unfolding Delphi double murders case.

Richard Allen of Delphi stands accused of murdering teenagers Abigail Williams and Liberty German in February of 2017. Allen has been incarcerated at Westville Correctional Facility since early November. Authorities say it’s for his own safety.

However, Allen’s attorneys say his physical and mental condition has suffered from being cooped up in a cell about the size of a dog kennel. On Wednesday they filed an emergency motion to have Allen transferred. In it, lawyers claim their client is being held in a separate maximum security unit where the prison’s most dangerous convicts are held. They also allege that Allen has been only allowed to shower once or twice a week, has to wear soiled clothes, and sleeps on a pad on the concrete floor. In recent visits to Allen, attorneys say his mental condition has deteriorated. They claim he struggles to comprehend and communicate, and he exhibits various psychotic symptoms.

Allen’s attorneys also cited logistical hardships in trying to defend their client effectively. Being hours away from Allen’s location, they cannot easily work with him on examining thousands of pages of police reports and other material that have been entered as evidence against him. Their motion contends that the Prosecutor of the case has no objections to Allen being transferred to a facility closer to Carroll County.

Defense attorneys have called for Allen’s release from Westville, since the facility is meant for people who have been convicted of a crime. Allen is still awaiting trial; his next hearing is scheduled for June 15.

(Indianapolis, IN) - The Indiana Attorney General’s Office has released its 2022 Annual Report. Consumer protection headlines the accomplishments.

According to Attorney General Todd Rokita, his office recovered over $475 million on behalf of Hoosier taxpayers. That includes $62 million in unclaimed property assets returned to rightful owners. And it does not include about $1 billion worth of settlement money from opioid manufacturers and distributors that the state will be receiving over the next 15 years.

The report shows that the AG’s office collects five times more than it spends.

Also in the report, Rokita’s office boasts of legal victories against the Biden administration and Big Tech companies, as well as the publishing of the Parents Bill of Rights and the Gun Owners Bill of Rights.

Rokita also claims multiple court victories in pro-life cases, including a federal court's ruling on Friday that upheld the state's 2019 ban on late-term abortions. However, his biggest win in that area has yet to come, with Indiana’s abortion ban from last year being still tied up in the courts.

Eight different Slicer batters had hits, while Cody Ryden and Brock Schultz turned in solid performances on the mound leading La Porte to an 8-3 win at Portage Tuesday night.

Ryden picked up the win pitching 4 2/3 innings giving up three runs and seven hits. He struck out two and walked two. Schultz pitched shutout ball over the final 2 1/3 innings. He allowed an infield single, striking out five, walking one and one hit batsman. 

The Slicers had two baserunners in both the first and second innings but were unable to score. Ben Dubbs singled to lead off the game but was picked off by JT Haitz on his fifth throw to first. Carter Moses drew a walk and courtesy runner Drew Flores stole second. Haitz was able to retire Kade Flores and RJ Anglin to end the inning. 

In the second inning Kai Jones and Tommy both grounded out to third. Jax Land drew a walk and Ryan Bruemmer reached on an error by shortstop to put runners on first and second. Haitz was able to strike out Drew Catron to end the inning.

The Slicers sent nine men to the plate in the top of the third. Dubbs lined out hard to center fielder Antoine Pearson for the first out. A double by Moses to deep center field, with Drew Flores coming in to run, a walk to Kade Flores and an infield hit by Anglin loaded the bases. Drew Flores scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0. Jones lined a single to left field scoring Kade Flores. A great throw from Derric Calmbacher cut down Anglin at the plate making it 2-0 LP. Tommy Samuelson gave the Slicers a 3-0 lead with a base hit to the right side of the infield allowing Jones to score from second.

La Porte picked up two more runs in the top of the fourth. Dubbs singled to lead off the inning. Kade Flores added a one out single. A wild pitch moved the pair to second and third. Jones doubled to center driving two and giving the Slicers a 5-0 edge.

Portage got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Pearson doubled to right center, Ortiz had an infield hit with Ryden’s throw bouncing off of the runner allowing Pearson to score. Another single and an error on Samuelson loaded the bases with one out. Ryden struck out both Tollard and Gabe Nelson, his only two strike outs of the game, to end the inning leaving La Porte ahead 5-1.

La Porte picked up a run in the top of the fifth off of reliever Payton Fausto. Bruemmer and AJ Mrozinske both singled. Bruemmer scored on Dubb’s base hit givin the Slicers a 6-1 lead. 

Portage wouldn’t go away, picking up two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Mat Krostag led off with a single. After a Mark Calmbacher fly out Pearson drew a walk. After Ortiz lined out to center, Dylan Supthin doubled past a diving Dubbs to drive in a pair. Schultz came in for Ryden and struck out Haitz to end the inning. 

La Porte scored two insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Moses and Kade Flores were both hit by pitches. Drew Flores who courtesy ran for Moses stole both second and third base scoring on a bad throw by the catcher. Kade Flores scored on an Anglin infield out.

Schultz pitched a perfect sixth and struck out the side in the seventh leaving the bases loaded as the game ended making the final 8-3.

Dubbs was named the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game. He was 3-5 with a run and an RBI. Jones also had multiple hits going 2-5 with a double. 3 RBI and a run scored. The Slicers turned two double plays. Samuelson caught a low line drive and stepped on first base for an unassisted double play to end the Portage second. The Indians’ third inning ended with a classic 6-4-3, Anglin to Kade Flores to Samuelson. LP committed their first two errors of the season during the game and left 13 runners on base.

La Porte is hosting Griffith at 6:00 Friday night and will travel to Logansport Saturday for a double header. Game one first pitch 10:00 Central Time.

(Indianapolis, IN) - USDA is reminding Indiana farmers about programs to help them recover from damage caused by recent storms producing tornados in some parts of the state.

Several farming operations were included in the destruction from severe storms just days apart from each other beginning March 31st.

According to USDA, there were 19 tornados statewide along with heavy rain at a time when farmers are getting out in their fields for spring planting.

The first thing farmers impacted by the storms should do is call Indiana 211 or contact their county branch of USDA’s Farm Service Agency to report damages and to help with damage assessment, said Julia Wickard, Executive Director of FSA in Indiana. Farmers with crop insurance should contact their local agency within 72 hours after discovering damage and follow up in writing no later than 15 days later.

A Notice of Loss needs to be filed within 15 days of loss becoming apparent for farmers with Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance program or NAP coverage or within 72 hours if there’s been hand harvested crop damage, she said.

Wickard said producers in counties receiving a primary or contiguous disaster designation are eligible for low interest emergency loans to help them recover from production and physical losses.

“Our state office is working closely with affected counties to collect information so an Administrator’s Loss Notification can be submitted to the national office in Washington D.C. by the end of the month,” Wickard said.

According to the Indiana branch of FSA, assistance is provided from various sources including the Livestock Indemnity Program and requirements such as filing deadlines can change depending on the program.

Additional information can also be sought at farmers.gov/recover.

Other sources of help include the Emergency Assistance for Liverstock, Honeybee and Farm-raised Fish Program.  ELAP provides help for grazing, purchased feed and/or mechanically harvested feed losses due to adverse weather not covered under the Livestock Forage Disaster Program.

Loss of feed and additional feed costs for honeybees along with colony and hive losses from natural disasters are also covered.  Similar assistance for farm-raised fish is provided for losses stemming from natural disasters.

According to the National Weather Service, two tornados on March 31 touched down in Johnson County, including one packing up to 140 mph winds near Whiteland about 20 miles south of Indianapolis.

Another tornado producing 115 mph winds traveled from Benton County into White County about 30 miles northwest of Lafayette, according NWS.  NWS officials reported no deaths in those tornados but damage was significant to numerous homes and farm outbuildings.

A mother and her grown son were killed in Sullivan County between Terre Haute and Vincennes when a tornado on April 1 picked up their house and slammed it to the ground.

Other tornados included one packing 85 mph winds touching down in an open field, flipping eight spans of a center pivot irrigation system and destroying two large pole barns at a residence in Cass County. Corn fodder from the field was pulled into the yard and a fuel tank was rolled into a field, according to a NWS survey of the damage.

According to the NWS, another tornado with maximum winds of 85 mph in White County bent a wind turbine blade and caused another wind turbine blade to snap off.  Two empty silos were also thrown in a field by the same tornado.

Another tornado with 85 mph winds in Jay County caused damage to five barns and moved or partially carried grain bins, NWS said.

Wickard said she wasn’t aware of any fields that will have to be replanted because of flooding since most, if not, all of the work involved preparing the ground for planting when the storms hit.

However, she said there are a lot of fields containing debris from the storms that need removing before farmers can resume their working leading up to plant.

Wickard said there are also assistance programs to help farmers recover the cost of debris removal, but her office has to be notified before work begins to clean up the fields to be eligible.

There was damage pretty much statewide.

The most serious damage seemed to occur in the central and southern parts of the state from a system that moved from the southwest to the northeast.

“It was a pretty destructive path of storms,” she said.

(Michigan City, IN) - A candidate for mayor in Michigan City is proposing the Marquette Mall be torn down and replaced with recreational center.

Ron Meer said the current owner, judging from his talks with him, is interested in selling the property. Meer's vision is a recreational center for youth and families, but feedback from the community would help shape what’s offered, which could range from basketball and volleyball to a public swimming pool.

He said a developer would have to be involved to cover such an investment with help from the city.

Meer said the city could use money generated by increases in the tax valuation of the property from the development and also riverboat funds.   He said a monetary contribution from the state and federal governments would also be possibilities.

“I think it makes it very appealing and appetizing for an investor to look at this,” he said.

Meer was mayor when the city helped redeveloped the Dunes Plaza, which now features stores such as Kohl’s and T.J. Maxx.

“During my administration, we brought the Dunes Plaza back to life.  The redevelopment of the Marquette Mall campus is also a prime opportunity for Michigan City to form a public and private sector partnership,” he said.

Meer said a recreational center would help fight crime by taking youth off the streets and generate traffic for businesses now existing outside the mall such as Buffalo Wild Wings.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte woman stopped for driving with a suspended license was allegedly found with methamphetamine and other drugs. Tawnya Risner, 61, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court.

According to court documents, a police officer was following a car driven by Risner on March 20th in the area of North and Park streets. A computer check of the license plate revealed her driver’s license was suspended and she has a prior conviction for driving on a suspended license last year in Porter County.

Risner was allegedly found with a straw containing a white residue in her pocket. Police said she also had two bags containing a crystal like substance later testing positive for methamphetamine along with prescription pills.

Risner is charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Controlled Substance, both Level 6 Felonies.   

Two months ago, she was charged with Level 3 Felony Dealing Methamphetamine, which hasn’t been decided by the court.

(La Porte County, IN) - Charges have been filed in connection with injuries from being attacked with a skateboard. Dandre Lehman, 24, is charged with Battery and other counts in La Porte Circuit Court.

According to court documents, Lehman on March 21st went inside a home uninvited at 505 Park Street before he allegedly began hitting a man and woman on a couch with a skateboard. The two men then began fighting in the living room.

Lehman left, but not until breaking a cellphone belonging to one of the victims. A short time later, police went to Lehman’s home across the tracks in the 300 block of Pulaski Street and took him into custody.

The victims sustained minor injuries that included scratches on the forehead and arm. The female victim, the following day, was trying to drive home from a bar but wound up traveling across a cornfield and crashing into a backyard.

Police said her blood alcohol level was close to four times the legal limit and she also had drugs on her possession.

(La Porte County, IN) - People can watch plowing the old fashioned way and browse what dozens of artisans have to offer at the same location.

The annual Spring Artisan Fair and Plow Day is set for April 16th at the La Porte County Historical Society Museum. 

Over 30 artisans with unique pieces for sale will be at the museum from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Draft horses pulling plows will also be working in a field between the museum and the historic Door Prairie Barn.

The artisan fair is hosted by the museum while Plow Day is put on by the La Porte County Draft Horse Association.

Admission into the museum that day will be by donation, officials said.  The museum is on U.S. 35 at the southern edge of the La Porte city limits.

(La Porte, IN) - Construction of more single family residences has been completed in LaPorte where officials are pushing to update an aging housing stock.

Two of four newly built town homes overlooking Fish Trap Lake and priced at about $700,000 have already been sold. 

Each of the new two story dwellings containing three to four bedrooms include a basement and common area containing a swimming pool and fitness center.

“They’re absolutely beautiful,” said LaPorte Economic Advancement Partnership Executive Director Bert Cook.

Work is about begin on putting up four more town houses at the edge of the small lake on MCClung Road on the city’s north side.  Cook said there will be 12 town homes once the final two phases are completed at East Shore Preserve.

The city helped make the development a reality by annexing the ground in 2020 to provide municipal water and sewer to the site at the request of the developers.

One of the developers, Jerry Fedorchak, gave thanks to Mayor Tom Dermody and other city officials during a Wednesday ribbon cutting.

“This is what happens when we get a good relationship between private industry and government.  We can’t be more thankful,” he said.

Fedorchak is still working on plans that could include about a dozen more town houses and professional office space across the street on East Shore Parkway. Professional office space as part of the same development was created there two-years ago.

“We’re real excited about this area,” he said.

A recent study by SB Friedman Development Advisors of Chicago revealed the city where most housing was constructed before 1940 needs to add close to two-thousand or more new homes over the next few years.

The mayor wants to increase the city’s long dormant population by one-third to 30,000 by 2030.

Cook said new housing at every price level will help attract new residents who often go elsewhere because of the limited options here.  More existing residents looking for a housing upgrade will also be able to find what they want without leaving, he said.

“Eventually, people get tired and say I can’t look anymore. I can’t find anything in LaPorte so I’ll go over to Chesterton or I’ll go to Valparaiso or I’ll go to Mishawaka or Elkhart.  They have housing stock,” he said.

The city seems off to a good start with 200 resort type apartments near Clear Lake opening within the last year.

More new single family homes are continuing to be added to Meadowview subdivision on the city’s southeast side.

A once condemned 50 unit apartment building downtown reopened last year following an extensive modernization.

Cook said construction is expected to begin this year on about 30 more affordably priced homes on shovel ready sites near Kesling Park and the former Tibma Bakery site. Plans are also in the works for dozens of higher end single family homes along Beechwood Golf Course.

Cook said he’s not sure if he’d call what’s happening a “housing boom.” However, he said there’s definitely been growth from a market allowed to emerge from adding options to the housing menu.

“This is pent up demand in La Porte that has existed for years so we got a lot of work to do to catch up with our neighbors,” he said.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Police will be targeting drivers passing school buses in the coming weeks. 

Police say officers will be stationed at bus stops and along bus routes looking for stop arm violators and other dangerous driving practices. Capt. Derek Allen said patrol officers will be in areas where the highest number of violations occur.

“We take stop-arm violations very seriously as they jeopardize the safety of every child on the bus,” he said.

In Indiana, it is against the law for motorists to pass a stopped bus while it has its red lights flashing and stop-arm extended.  This applies to all roads except those with multiple lanes divided by a physical barrier or unpaved median, police said.

“Pay attention to the road, and if you see a bus with flashing yellow lights, slow down and get ready to stop.  As drivers, we are all responsible for school bus safety,” Allen said.

(La Porte County, IN) - A high speed chase in La Porte County late this morning ended on Interstate 94.

Two people were taken into custody about 10:30 a.m. at the 39 mile marker after stop sticks flattened two tires on the vehicle.

So far, police have not confirmed what triggered the pursuit which went from Fail Road onto U.S. 20 then westbound to Interstate 94.  However, there was talk of a stolen Chrysler 300 between police and a 911 dispatcher during the chase.   

Initial reports indicate at least four police vehicles were involved in the chase and the stop sticks were placed at U.S. 20 and U.S. 35. The vehicle apparently traveled on two flat tires for about a mile on Interstate 94 before coming to a stop.

We’ll provide more details as further information is released by local authorities.

(La Porte, IN) - A drug test proved to be a lie detector for a homeless man claiming a substance he allegedly had in a plastic bag was road salt.

Joseph France is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 6 Felony Possession of Methamphetamine.

France, 47, was found sleeping in a car after La Porte Police were called on March 20 to an undisclosed location. According to police, a responding officer described him as “passed out” just before 12 p.m. in the passenger seat, waking up only after  an officer began tapping on the window.

A plastic baggie containing a white rock-like substance was recovered from the passenger side floorboard. France seemed baffled when asked if there were any more drugs in the vehicle, responding “What drugs? I thought it was road salt.”

The substance was later taken to the police department where it tested positive for methamphetamine.

(Indianapolis, IN) - Indiana has banned gender affirming healthcare for transgender youth. The governor signed the bill yesterday.  The new law takes effect July 1st.

Under the law, transgender youth already receiving gender-affirming healthcare will lose access to such care after six months. Such care involves practices that support and affirm the gender a child identifies with and not their gender at birth.

The American Civil Liberties Union has announced intentions to legally challenge the new law here and similar laws in other states.

“This is a devastating development for transgender youth in Indiana and heartbreaking for all of us who love and support them,” said Jane Henegar, Executive Director of the Indiana branch of the ACLU.

(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City man is still being held today on charges related to child pornography. Stephen Fredenburg, 55, was arrested nearly a week ago on warrants charging him with possession of child pornography and child exploitation.

Authorities said he watched child pornography on the internet and downloaded some of the videos onto his device.  His alleged activity was uncovered by police monitoring an online child pornography network, where the IP address from his device was traced to a subscription he allegedly had and to his home address on Barker Avenue. 

According to court documents, Fredenburg said he watches child pornography because it’s “more thrilling” than watching adults. Some of the children in the images were as young six years of age.

Fredenburg is being held in the La Porte County Jail on $20,000 bond.

(La Porte County, IN) - LaPorte County government could be sued over a majority of the commissioners refusing to give the prosecutor access to emails from his predecessor and select members of his staff.

The request by LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan was tabled in a 2 to 1 vote by the commissioners last month. In response, the Indiana Attorney General’s Office issued a written warning to give Fagan access to the emails.

The letter read during Wednesday’s meeting by Commission President Joe Haney strongly indicated failure to do so will result in legal action, if necessary.

The emails are on a county government server.

However, the IAGO said county prosecutors are employees of the state and emails from the office are state property.

“Prosecutor Fagan is legally entitled to these email records,” said John Walls, Chief Counsel, Advisory Division for the IAGO.

Last month, Fagan said he wanted all of the emails last year from former Prosecutor John Lake and his wife, Mary, who was his chief deputy prosecutor, along with three members of his staff.

Fagan said he wanted the emails to try and replace evidence in some of the criminal cases he inherited from the previous administration.  He said evidence was lost from hard copy records being destroyed in a flood caused by a frozen water line bursting in late December at the LaPorte County Complex.

Fagan said he was also hindered in becoming familiar with some cases from Lake not being very cooperative during his transition into the office.

His request was denied when Commissioners Connie Gramarossa and Rich Mrozinski went against the recommendation of their attorney, Andrew B. Jones.

Despite the letter, Gramarossa and Mrozinski did not budge. They again offered to give Fagan access to emails related strictly to the criminal cases.

“We’re willing to work with him on any cases that he wants.  Bring forth some cases.  I will personally make sure that we go through whatever he needs,” Gramarossa said.

Again, Jones advised that was not good enough.

“He’s entitled to all of them. These things belong to him.  They don’t belong to him personally.  They belong to his office,” he said.

Mrozinski previously alleged Fagan was out to conduct a political “witch hunt.” This time, he was joined by a visibly upset Gramarossa in making similar allegations.

“I don’t understand what he wants. We’re offering to give you what you need.  Instead, you want to go this other route.  This whole thing smells bad,” Mrozinski said.

Gramarossa accused Haney and Jones of being on the same political side of the fence as Fagan.

“I wanted it stated here right now at this public meeting that this is forced upon me by the president of the commission and the attorney,” she said.

The IAGO gave the commissioners 15 days from the March 24th date on the letter to respond.  No vote was taken after Gramarossa stood up from her seat and walked out of the meeting just before it adjourned.

“I’m at a point where I’m feeling emotionally and physically bullied,” she said.

Senior RJ Anglin picked up the pitching victory and drove in six runs, with a three run homer and a three run double higlighting La Porte’ 9-2 win over Portage Tuesday night.  It was the Duneland Conference opener for both teams.

The game didn’t start out well for Anglin or the Slicers. In the top of the first Mark Calmbacher smacked a one out single to center. After Antoine Pearson lined out to centerfielder Ryan Bruemmer for the second out, Devon Ortiz and Dylan Supthin both singled. Supthin’s hit to right field drove in Calmbacher to give the Indians a 1-0 lead. La Porte ended the inning with a solid defensive play. Portage had runners on first and third and attempted a double steal. Catcher Carter Moses threw to second. Second baseman Kade Flores cut the throw off and fired a strike back to Moses cutting down courtesy runner Colin Nolder at the plate for the third out.

In the Slicer half of the first inning Moses was hit by a Montgomery Cunningham pitch with one out. Courtesy runner Drew Flores stole second base but was thrown out trying to steal third to end the inning. LP sent only three hitters to the plate in the inning and struck out twice.

Both teams went three up three down in the second inning leading up to the game changing third inning. 

Portage scored their second run in the top of the third with three singles to take a 2-0 lead. Tyler Browning led off with a hit to left. Anglin struck out JT Haitz before giving up back to back singles to Calmbacher and Pierson. Pierson’s drove in Browning.

In the bottom of the third the crafty Cunningham retired Drew Catron and Kelli Hay for two quick outs. The soft throwing right hander had faced the minimum eight hitters, striking out four to this point. Then, suddenly, he lost control of the strike zone. He walked both Ben Dubbs and Kade Flores before Carter Moses put the Slicers on the board with a ground ball single to right, scoring Dubbs. Anglin stepped up with two on and blasted a three run homer over the left field fence to give the Slicers a 4-2 lead after three innings. 

In the fourth, after striking out Derric Calmbacher, Anglin gave up a single to Matt Krostag. The next hitter Ben Tollard hit a short popup between the mound and the first base line. Anglin moved to catch it but dropped it. The ball rolled into foul territory before Anglin retrieved it and made the long throw to second forcing out Krostag at second. Browning then struck out to end the inning.

La Porte broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. Tommy Samuelson got the inning started with a single to right. Kai Jones then ripped a double to left center field putting runners on second and third with no outs. Krostag came in to pitch and Portage pulled their infield in. Catron grounded out to third, the runners were unable to advance. Kelli Hay hit a ground ball to second baseman Nolder. Samuelson tried to score on the play but was thrown out at the plate. Jones advanced to third and Hay stopped briefly at first. After Hay stole second, Dubbs singled, driving in two runs making it a 6-2 game. Kade Flores walked and Moses reached on an error to load the bases. They weren’t loaded long. Anglin hit a line drive double that one hopped the left field fence clearing the bases stretching the lead to 9-2.

Portage went down in order in the top of the fifth. La Porte tried to get another two out rally going in the bottom of the inning. Samuelson popped out to center and Jax Land grounded out to short to start the frame. AJ Mrozinske singled to center and Hay hit a double to putting runners on second and third. Dubbs grounded out to second and the LP came up empty.

Kai Jones came in to pitch the sixth and seventh innings for LP and he was brilliant. Ortiz hit a hard grounder that looked like a hit. Third basemen Catron dove to his left making the stop, hopped up and threw a strike to Samuelson at first for the out. That was the only ball the Portage put into play against Jones, who struck out the last five hitters to end the game.

A strange double play ended the Slicer sixth. Moses had a one out single and courtesy runner Drew Flores entered. Anglin flew out to medium right field. Flores went halfway down the line. Right fielder Mark Calmbacher threw a strike to first just beating Flores for the rare 9-3 double play.

The win moves La Porte to 2-1 on the year and 1-0 in the DAC. Portage falls to 0-3. Anglin threw five innings, giving up two runs and seven hits. He struck out 7 and issued no walks. Jones struck out five in two impressive innings of work. Offensively, Moses reached base four times with 2 hits, a hit by pitch and an error. He drove in a run and his spot in the order scored two runs. Dubbs drove in two runs and scored twice. Defensively, La Porte was errorless for the third straight game. Anglin was named the Salisbury and Spence Player of the Game.

Wednesday’s game at Portage has been postponed. It is rescheduled for Thursday at 4:30. The JV game has been moved to Thursday also but will be played in La Porte.

Photos Courtesy of Susan Anglin.

(La Porte, IN) - A fallen tree and power lines during strong storms this morning were blocking a street in the City of La Porte.

The tree broke about six feet above the base of its trunk on Perry St. a short distance from Maple Ave. just north of the former Boston Middle School.

Code Enforcement and Street Department Director Jeff Batchelor said NIPSCO will have to cut any power flowing through the lines before the tree can be removed. Streets in the area of the fallen tree and power lines were temporarily closed as a precaution.

The tree measured about 30 inches in diameter.

To his knowledge, Batchelor said it was the first tree to come down this morning in the city.

At 9 a.m., NIPSCO reported more than 1,000 customers without power in its La Porte service area.

(La Porte County, IN) - Not too many NIPSCO customers have lost power due to storms this morning.

According to NIPSCO, the number of customers without power in its La Porte service area has fallen from about 40 to five from about 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. while Michigan City has gone from no outages before 6 a.m. to 51 customers without power as of 7:30 a.m. There was just one customer without power in Westville and Hanna. However, in Valparaiso, more than 900 customers are still without service. Another 500 or more customers had no power in Kouts.

There are some Indiana Michigan Power Company customers without power in the La Porte area. Near Springville, over 100 customers were without power before 7 a.m.

Just a handful of other customers were in the dark in the Hudson Lake area.  Another 50 Indiana Michigan Power customers in Michigan close to the state line were without service between Three Oaks and Galien.

The utility company reports outages in the single digits in Grand Beach, Union Pier and north of Three Oaks.

(La Porte County, IN) - People were waking up to the sound of thunder and lightning along with heavy rainfall this morning.

A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect until 6:15 a.m. in La Porte and St. Joseph counties along with Berrien County, Michigan. There were downpours at times and periods where little or no rain was coming down.

Bob Johnson reported little rain until the skies opened up over his Michigan City area residence on 400 North.

“Here it comes.  It’s hitting the windows kind of hard.   Now we’re getting it,” he said.

The storm is blamed for knocking radio station 96.7 The Eagle off the air before 6 a.m.  Efforts were still being made 20 minutes later to restore the signal at the transmitter.

The storm, at about 6:15, seemed to have moved past the area but another line of storms is approaching from the west.

(La Porte County, IN) - A Westville man could face prison time for allegedly forcing himself sexually on a friend. Evan Jacks, 20, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with three counts of Level 3 Felony Rape.

Jacks visited a residence on December 11th to work on a speaker system in his vehicle. where he and the alleged female victim also visited with each other off and on for several hours before she went to bed. She told investigators she woke up to Jacks touching her, then froze just before and while he was violating her.

According to court documents, the female managed to leave the residence and seek help after Jacks fell asleep in her bed.  Police said Jacks was still in the bed without clothing on when sheriff’s deputies responded to the property.

Jacks, arrested March 28th, has since posted bond.

(La Porte County, IN) - Early voting for the May 2nd primary began this morning.

La Porte County Clerk Heather Stevens reported turnout was very slow with just a half dozen or so early votes cast before 12 p.m. in Michigan City.  She said the number of early voters in La Porte and Kingsford Heights was even lower prior to noon.  Stevens said voter turnout is usually much lower for municipal elections but feels early voting will pick-up in the coming days as more people become aware of the election. 

Currently, races in La Porte for Mayor, City Council and Clerk-Treasurer are mostly uncontested while five Democrats are seeking the party’s nomination for Mayor in Michigan City, which also has contested races for City Council.

Stevens said early voting in La Porte has been moved from the county complex to State Street Community Church at 209 State Street.  She said the move had to do with a flood at the complex from a frozen water line bursting in late in December.

The space used for early voting is now being used for office space because of the ongoing work to repair the damage.

Early voting in Michigan City is still available at 8^th and Wabash streets one door over from where it occurred last time.

A mobile voting van is where early voters can go in Kingsford Heights.

(La Porte, IN) - The 39 North Conservancy District is fighting back.

For a while now, the city of La Porte has been trying to build enough support from property owners in the district to annex that area. A letter from 39 North Conservancy District President Mark Childress was sent to residents and business owners, revealing that $6.9 million dollars was invested in infrastructure by district property owners to retire a 20-year bond issue two years early.

“I made clear to the mayor and city attorney that any annexation needs to be accompanied by an offer by the city to buy out our system, which is now debt-free and revenue generating,” Childress stated in the letter.

Childress said any money from a buyout could be distributed based on a formula to district property owners in the form of discounted taxes or free water and sewer service from the city for a certain period of time. Unless there is a buyout, Childress said he will not agree to an annexation.

In the letter, he said the city must also agree to two other stipulations to gain his support.

They are assurance in writing that taxes and utility fees will not increase and provide a fiscal plan for delivering city services to the district in one to three years as required by state statute. governing annexation. 

He also emphasized that “there is no current documented public health or safety threat and our system is currently serving all customers with safe, affordable water and efficient sewer service.”

“I simply urge patience and careful study before any property owner signs a petition, consent or waiver for annexation until we see the actual details in writing of what this annexation will mean to all district property owners,” he said.

(La Porte, IN) - It was a fire station in LaPorte when firefighters responded on horse drawn wagons carrying water pumps.

For the last 30-years, the solid red brick structure built in 1907 has been a place for senior citizens to go for recreation and to socialize.  The downtown building still has a future but a much different one appears to be on the horizon.

The city has agreed to sell the two story building with a basement to developer Dudley Beyer of Valparaiso for just over $200,000. La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership Executive Director Bert Cook said he expects closing on the sale to occur early in the summer.

“It’s a really cool historic building,” he said.

Cook said plans have not been finalized but the vision is professional office space offering some form of recreational opportunities for tenants.

He said the concept reflects what young professionals especially in urban areas prefer nowadays, A work environment that has things like a weight room for exercising with housing and restaurants in close proximity.

There’s been some talk of providing an outdoor green space for a fire pit and games like corn hole.

“Amenities that make it fun to be in business,” said La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody.

Cook said the future use will become more defined as the design begins taking final shape during the renovation of the structure after closing.

Beyer was behind the recent upgrading of another downtown building about two blocks away at Lincolnway and Monroe St.  That structure contains “Downtown Delights,” which serves frozen yogurt and smoothies. There’s also quality housing above the main level.

“He’s done a really nice job on the building he redeveloped and we’re excited for him to take on another opportunity,” Cook said.

Dermody said the fire station plans continue the momentum of trendy businesses opening in renovated structures downtown over the past few years.  It’s also going to become something unique, which is also part of the game plan for drawing more people to walk and experience downtown.

“We got a lot of work but right now this will add to the list and we’re excited to see it develop,” he said.

 

The La Porte Park and Recreation Department operates the senior center.

Parks Superintendent Mark Schreiber said the plan is to move the senior center within the next several weeks to a different site for a couple years then relocate it to a permanent location.

“We’ve said all along that we would like to have a spring move.   We’re very close to having a new site identified,” he said.

(La Porte, IN) - A man has been sentenced to prison for a shooting at a downtown La Porte gas station last year.

Charles Turner received a seven year prison sentence Friday in La Porte Circuit Court.

The shooting was in March of last year at the Conoco station at 104 East Lincolnway. Police said the 36-year-old Turner shot a man in the foot with a 16-gauge shotgun.

Turner was arrested at the scene and allegedly found with cocaine and methamphetamine.

He has a prior conviction for dealing cocaine from about 10-years ago.

Authorities said the shooting was over $600 the victim was accused of stealing from the gunman’s home in La Porte.

(La Porte, IN) - Elementary schools in La Porte recently wrapped up another successful Fourth Grade Ring Toss Jamboree. The Jamboree dating back to the late 1950’s was started in La Porte by Bob Uhlemann, who was then a physical education teacher.

It is a game typically played with two boys and two girls on a team, facing opponents across a lowered volleyball net. A rubber ring is tossed back and forth over the net in a frisbee-like motion. The rings must be thrown and caught correctly, or a point is awarded to the other team, with the goal being to successfully throw the ring where it cannot be caught, while the ring stays in-bounds.

Last week, the team from Kingsbury Elementary was crowned the winners of the 2023 La Porte Ring Toss City Championship.

“From what I’ve heard, fourth-graders in La Porte are the only elementary students anywhere who play ring toss. So the winners of the La Porte City Championship are the ‘World Champions,” said Physical Education Teacher and Ring Toss coach Jim Pedretti.

The team was made of students Troy Kirsch, Bristol Wireman, Megan Combs, Ayden Hadella, and Coach Pedretti.

(Michigan City, IN) - Michigan City Police are turning to the public for help in determining who shot a driver behind the wheel of a car that crashed into a house over the weekend.

Police said Shawnon Carter, 35, was eastbound on Main Street when he left the road and struck a residence in the 200 block of Elm Street  Fortunately, nobody was inside the home at the time of the collision about 6 p.m. on Friday. Responding officers found Carter with a gunshot wound suffered prior to the crash. He was taken by ambulance to Franciscan hospital and later to a hospital in South Bend for more advanced care.

So far, no arrests have been reported but the investigation is ongoing.  Anyone with information is asked to contact Michigan City Police.

Among the other gunfiire-related acts recently still under investigation is a Door Dash driver being shot at multiple times on March 13th. Authorities state a 19-year old female stopped her car to make a delivery when numerous gunshots rang out in the area of Vail and Walker streets. Her vehicle was hit with several of the rounds, but she and her male passenger were not hurt.

No arrests have been reported yet in that case, which also remains under investigation.

(La Porte County, IN) - There was a several mile police chase in La Porte County this morning at about 11 a.m. in the City of La Porte.

Police tried pulling over a driver who accelerated and soon was traveling southbound on A Street, reportedly at 90 miles per hour near the La Porte Municipal Airport. At one point, the pursuit ventured over to U.S. 35 then later on 400 South heading eastbound all before ultimately ending in the area of 800 East and Indiana 104.

Right now, the initial investigation indicates the driver fled because he had a suspended license.

La Porte Police have also not made available any details yet on this chase, nor on a chase last Thursday evening.

According to witnesses, it appears that pursuit went past Kingsbury and through La Porte before ending just outside the city limits on U.S. 35 near Pine Lake.

We’ll provide more information on both cases as it becomes available.

(La Porte County, IN) - He was too drunk to drive and eat apparently without making a mess according to La Porte County Police, who arrested a man with two previous OWI convictions over the weekend.

Police said an officer Friday night spotted a driver veer across the center line then leave the road briefly to his right on Indiana 39 near Severs Road.  After same thing happened a second time, the officer tried stopping the northbound car, which didn’t pull over until reaching the parking lot of Briar Golf Course.

The golf course is close to where he resides on Tiffany Woods Dr.

Police said 31 year old Allan Best had a McDonald’s bag on the passenger seat and food on his face and shirt.  However, Best explained he was coming from Burger King, instead, on the city’s west side, before being arrested after refusing to take a blood alcohol test.

The charge was elevated to a felony due to prior OWI convictions from last year and in 2018.  Best was also cited for driving on a suspended license.

(La Porte, IN) - La Porte residents should begin using their new Waste Management trash cans beginning today. The city has switched to Waste Management as their trash hauler.

Mayor Tom Dermody said trash cans from the former provider are still in the process of being picked up.

“Only put trash into Waste Management cans.  No bags outside the can.  That is the only thing that will be picked up beginning on Monday,” he said.

The new cans are larger than the ones from the previous trash hauler. Dermody says smaller Waste Management trash containers will be go to senior citizens and people with disabilities asking for them.

“Pretty soon we’ll be beginning a transition of those cans,” he said.

Anyone wanting a smaller can is asked to contact the city as 362-2327.

(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