Local News

Police have been searching for Donald Gildersleeve of Valparaiso, since being reported missing on December 31st. This morning police received a report of a subject laying on the ground just southeast of the intersection of Burlington Beach Rd and Calumet Ave, behind the Horizon Bank. Police arrived and located a male subject deceased. The male subject was identified through identification in his possession as Donald Gildersleeve of Valparaiso.  No foul play is suspected at this time, police continue to investigate.

25 year old Denzel Rakim Bridges of South Bend, was sentenced before District Court Senior Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. for one count of possession of heroin and one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Bridges was sentenced to 78 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in this case, on or about May 2017 a search warrant was executed on Bridges’ address in South Bend for heroin trafficking. During the execution of the warrant officers located a loaded handgun, $3600 in currency, marijuana on a coffee table and multiple small

Shirley Heinze Land Trust announces that it has donated 17.34 acres of protected natural land to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (IDNL). The transfer, which took place last fall, consists of four parcels that lie adjacent to park boundaries. The additional acres will help buffer the park’s current holdings and reconnect fragmented high-quality natural areas. For more information on the work and nature preserves of Shirley Heinze Land Trust, visit www.heinzetrust.org, call (219) 242-8558, or access its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/heinzetrust.

All lanes east and west bound on I-80/94 in Gary at Chase Street were closed for several hours on Wednesday. Utility crews removed the power lines that were laying across the entire interstate and returned later that evening to replace the compromised power pole.

NIPSCO has received an influx in calls from residential and business customers reporting several hundred cases of unknown callers claiming to be affiliated with the company and demanding payment through a prepaid card.   Some reports have indicated that scammers have appeared in person knocking on doors, while other reports have indicated that the company’s 1-800 customer service phone number was cloned to appear on caller IDs.  NIPSCO is proactively notifying customers to remind them of important safety tips to avoid becoming a victim and emphasize that these calls are not from, or affiliated with, the company. ·    

South Shore Line service updates will be in effect to accommodate passengers wishing to attend the Chicago Boat, RV & Sail Show, to be held Jan. 10-14, 2018, at McCormick Place. The following weekday trains will make flag stops at the McCormick Place Station from Jan. 10-12: Westbound: Trains 14, 216, 116, 218, 18, 118, 220, 20 Eastbound: Trains 109, 209, 17, 119, 19, 121, 123 All weekend trains except Train 601 utilize McCormick Place as a flag stop. Passengers departing from McCormick Place must remain visible on the platform to be seen by train personnel.

On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly spoke on the floor of the Senate calling for bipartisan action to address a number of pressing health care issues, including repealing the Medical Device Tax, reauthorization for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), funding for the Community Health Center Fund, and the need for more funds to combat opioid abuse and to address the shortage of treatment providers. Donnelly said in his speech, “I strongly urge my colleagues to work with me to quickly and meaningfully address the medical device tax... “We must reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program – also known as

Yesterday, U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly applauded President Trump’s executive order today directing the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security to develop a plan to ensure servicemembers transitioning out of the military and back into civilian life receive mental health care for a year. All active-duty and reserve servicemembers are required to have an annual mental health assessment, thanks to Donnelly’s Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act, which has now been fully implemented.

Candidates seeking public office this year may begin filing their declarations of candidacy for the 2018 Primary Election tomorrow, Wednesday, January 10 with the Secretary of State or county election board. Filing will remain open until 12:00pm local time on Friday, February 9th. A candidate seeking nomination by a major political party may file, as well as independent or minor party candidates and state convention delegates. Candidates for U.S. Senate may begin filing petitions of nomination with county voter registration offices for verification of petition signatures. Further information can be found by calling the Election Division, or by visiting www.in.gov/elections.

Shortly after midnight Tuesday, Valparaiso Police officers responded to a female subject that had been involved in a physical disturbance which included threats being made with a handgun by her boyfriend. The female subject had fled the house immediately after the disturbance and called police. Police responded to the 300 block Garfield Ave to investigate the incident further. When police arrived the male subject inside the home refused to answer the door. Numerous attempts to make contact with the male subject were made and went unanswered. The Porter County Emergency Response Team was activated shortly after 1:00 a.m. Police obtained

The Valparaiso Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 76 has named their Patrol Officer, Investigator and Supervisor of the year for 2017. Each award is voted on by the members of the Valparaiso F.O.P Lodge 76. This year Officer Jonathan Watson was named Patrol Officer of the Year, Lt. Jerame Simpson was named supervisor of the year and Sgt. Dave Castellanos was named Investigator of the Year for 2017. Officer Watson has been with the department for 2 years. Sgt. Castellanos is a 16 year veteran of the department, and Lt. Simpson is a 11 year veteran of the department.

Indiana Conservation Officers on Monday were called to a rural area near Hanna, Indiana shortly after midnight regarding a serious injury snowmobile crash. The investigation revealed at around midnight, 38 year old Charles Zbuka was riding his snowmobile across a large field at approximately 40 miles per hour when he drove into a large ditch, striking the bank on the opposite side. Another snowmobile rider witnessed the crash and found Zbuka unconscious and in the water at the bottom of the ditch. The witness entered the water and held Zbuka’s head above the surface while he called 911. LaPorte County

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) will host East Chicago native and U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel at two Martin Luther King Jr. programs in January. Curiel's address will honor Dr. King's legacy and vision and reflect the programs' theme, "Together we win with love for humanity." The coordinating events will take place Monday, Jan. 15 and Tuesday, Jan. 16 at the Westville and Hammond campuses, respectively. To obtain more information about these activities visit www.pnw.edu/MLK-celebration or call (219) 785-5545. To request a disability related accommodation for these events, please contact the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Hammond (219) 989-2163

On Monday Randy Novak, LaPorte County Council member for District 2, has announced that he will seek re-election for a second term as a Democrat for the District 2 seat on the LaPorte County Council. “It has been an honor to serve the Citizens of LaPorte County for the past 3 years. Together, we have accomplished a lot in the last three years, but we still have work to do. I hope that, through my efforts, I have earned your trust and ask that you support me for a second term.” Novak said. “My pledge to you: I will work

South Shore Line service updates will be in effect to accommodate passengers wishing to attend the Chicago Boat, RV & Sail Show, to be held Jan. 10-14, 2018, at McCormick Place. The following weekday trains will make flag stops at the McCormick Place Station from Jan. 10-12: Westbound: Trains 14, 216, 116, 218, 18, 118, 220, 20 Eastbound: Trains 109, 209, 17, 119, 19, 121, 123 All weekend trains except Train 601 utilize McCormick Place as a flag stop. Passengers departing from McCormick Place must remain visible on the platform to be seen by train personnel.

The Mobile Health Unit of La Porte Hospital will be out in the community throughout January to provide free body mass index and blood pressure screenings, as well as cervical cancer education and information how to be prepared for winter weather. Wellness Outreach Screenings are made possible with funding from the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte. Dates and times of the Mobile Health Unit visits are: from 9-10:30 a.m., Jan. 9, at Good Will Industries, 1509 E. Lincolnway, La Porte and from 11 a.m. – Noon, Jan. 9, at the Salvation Army, 3240 Monroe St., La Porte.

About 63 million, or 16-percent, of U-S residents live in rural America and, while they increasingly embrace digital technology, they still rely on local newspapers to provide them with news the Internet can't. Al Cross, who heads the Institute for Rural Journalism, says rural residents are 10-percent less likely to have broadband and smartphones than city-dwellers. And while many don't believe all the information they read on the Internet, Cross says trust in the local newspaper remains high. Cross says rural residents no longer expect to get national and international news from their local paper, but want school, police and

The League of Women Voters of La Porte County and the Better Government Study Group are joining with the La Porte County Chapter of the NAACP and Leadership La Porte County to co-sponsor a conference on Enhancing La Porte County Electoral and Political Processes on Saturday, January 27 at Purdue University Northwest at Westville. Matthew Presley, Co-Chairman of the English Department at La Porte High School, will moderate the session, which will include two multi-generational panels that explore issues that impact political and electoral processes in the county and then focus on action steps that should be considered to enhance

La Porte Hospital offers a variety of diabetes education and programs to the community, some free of charge. For Free Pre-Diabetes Classes: Come learn about the risk factors for diabetes and steps to manage pre-diabetes. This class is perfect for individuals who may have had an abnormal blood sugar reading, or whose doctors have expressed concerns about the possibility of developing diabetes. All are welcome; registration is not required. Classes meet from Noon - 1p.m., the third Monday of every month at the Heart & Vascular Conference Room, first floor of 901 Lincolway, La Porte. The next class is Jan.

The Duneland Chamber has partnered with the Town of Burns Harbor to bring their European Market on the Road to their Food Truck Square. The Burns Harbor Food Truck Square is an established event that continues to grow. Their market is held every Wednesday night from May through September. From 5 pm to 8 pm. The market is located at the former site of the Westport Community Club. Off of Rt. 149. For more information, call the Chamber at 219.926.5513, or email jacqueline@dunelandchamber.org