(New Buffalo, MI) - Four Winds Casino just announced a major slot machine jackpot.

According to the casino in New Buffalo, on May 7 a player from Schaumburg, IL turned a $5 bet into over $536,000 while playing a Dollar Storm Wild Ninja™ slot machine.

Four Winds also reported some local luck. A Valparaiso player won a jackpot of over $104,000 on May 2 while playing a Mystical Mermaids slot machine in South Bend. And a La Porte resident won $40,000 last month in New Buffalo.

The casino chain says over $3.2 million dollars has been won in total since the beginning of March. “Four Winds Casinos is very excited for all our guests that have recently won significant and life-changing jackpots at one of our four casino locations as well as our online casino,” said Mary Smith, Chief Operating Officer of Four Winds Casinos.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, check out this website for help: https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/help-by-state/indiana/.

(South Bend, IN) - Some La Porte area professionals have been recognized for their success. The 18^th annual 40 Under 40 Awards given out by the South Bend Chamber of Commerce include these four local leaders:

• Catherine Mrozinski of Rolling Prairie is a senior credit analyst at 1^st Source Bank, founded Operation Feed La Porte County, which buys 4-H animals and distributes fresh-butchered meat to local food pantries. She was also named an Outstanding Young LaPortean in 2018.
• Joel Richardson of La Porte began his career as a field technician with Surf Internet, quickly moving up to Customer Operations Director. He is also an ordained minister at his Michigan City church.
• Seth Spencer attended La Porte High School and Purdue Northwest, then founded Sera Group, an IT consulting and repair business. He works closely with the Michigan City Economic and Development Corporation. He was also named last year’s Young Professional of the Year by the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce.
• Hannah Stombaugh of New Carlisle, a 2^nd grade teacher at Prairie View Elementary, is active with the Play for Jake Foundation, advocating for AED use. She’s also the reigning National American Miss Indiana.

The 40 Under 40 Aaward recognizes career success and community involvement achieved by people before the age of 40.

(Indianapolis, IN) - Starting Monday, state and local law enforcement agencies will be increasing patrols as part of the national “Click it or Ticket” high-visibility enforcement effort. From May 20th through June 2nd, officers will be out in full force to make sure drivers and passengers are buckled up and children are properly secured.

The overtime patrols are funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

“We want seat belt use to be an automatic habit for drivers and passengers alike,” said ICJI Traffic Safety Director James Bryan. “Buckling up is the simplest thing you can do to limit injury or save your life during a crash.”

Since the “Click It or Ticket” initiative began more than 20 years ago, seat belt use has gone up 30% in Indiana to 93.2%, higher than the national average of 91.9%. In 2023, 390 unbuckled vehicle occupants lost their lives on Indiana roads. Nationally, there were 11,813 unbuckled vehicle occupants killed in crashes.

Research has repeatedly demonstrated the safety benefits of seat belts. Buckling up can reduce the risk of injury or death in a crash by up to 65%. Without a seat belt fastened, people can be ejected from a vehicle and killed.

Tragically, vehicle collisions continue to be a leading cause of death for children aged 1-13. NHTSA data shows that approximately 46% of all car seats are being used incorrectly.

(Indianapolis, IN) - The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is forecasting an Air Quality Action Day on Saturday for North Central and Northwest Indiana.

Ozone levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range in the following areas:

• North Central Indiana, including the cities of Elkhart, Goshen, Knox, Logansport, Plymouth, Peru, South Bend, Warsaw, Winamac, and all other cities within the area.
• Northwest Indiana, including the cities of Crown Point, Gary, Hammond, Kentland, LaPorte, Michigan City, Portage, Rensselaer, Valparaiso, and all other cities within the area.

High temperatures are expected to reach the 80's on Saturday which is well above seasonal averages for this time of the year and combined with mostly sunny skies, low humidity, and a lake breeze, may lead to ozone levels increasing to unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Hoosiers can visit SmogWatch.IN.gov to:

• View air quality information for all Indiana counties, including a state map of affected counties;
• Learn more about Air Quality Action Days and recommended actions;
• Learn more about ozone and fine particulate matter; and
• Sign up for air quality alerts.

Air Quality Action Days are in effect from midnight to 11:59 p.m. on the specified date

(La Porte, IN) - For the fourth year in a row, all eight elementary schools in the La Porte Community School Corporation have been recognized as 2023-24 Project Lead The Way Distinguished Schools for STEM curriculum and career readiness.

According to school officials, the honor is given to a select number of elementary schools across the U.S. for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW Launch, an elementary STEM curriculum.

PLTW is a national nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in schools across the U.S., aiming to make every child in every grade STEM successful.

“By engaging our youngest learners in PLTW modules, we are empowering them with the skills and mindset needed for future success,” said Dr. Ben Tonagel, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education.

The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. To be eligible for the designation, schools must have more than 75 percent of the student body participating in the program and had to offer at least one PLTW Launch module at each grade level during the 2022-23 school year.

“We are honored to recognize all eight La Porte Community School Corporation Elementary Schools for their commitment to providing students with exceptional educational experiences while ensuring equitable access to PLTW programs,” said Dr. David Dimmett, PLTW President and CEO.

(La Porte, IN) - A man could face a lengthy prison sentence after allegedly being caught with various narcotics in La Porte’s downtown area.

Aaron Fleck, 39, of Michigan City was taken into custody on May 12th after being pulled over for driving a vehicle with a partially obstructed license plate on East Lincolnway near Scott Street, as per La Porte Police.

The officer at the scene became suspicious when he noticed Fleck's hand was shaking while handing him his driver's license. A K-9 conducting a free-air sniff then reportedly detected the presence of drugs in the vehicle. As a result, over 22 grams of methamphetamine, slightly more than two grams of cocaine, and six fentanyl tablets were recovered from the vehicle. 15 Tramadol pills were also allegedly seized. 

A notebook seemingly used as a ledger to keep track of his drug sales was also found in the vehicle, along with a loaded handgun and $240 in cash.

Fleck is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 2 felony Dealing in Methamphetamine, which could result in a maximum 30-year sentence, alongside other drug-related counts filed against him.

(Michigan City, IN) - A man has been found guilty of killing his roommate in Michigan City and dismembering their body, as it only took a La Porte Superior Court 1 jury about three hours on Thursday to reach the verdict against John Hallett.

Hallett was convicted of Murder and Dismembering a Corpse, with evidence showing that, in 2017, the 55-year-old Hallett choked a man to death and left the body lying on the basement floor at their home in the 1000 block of West 9^th Street for nearly two months. He then cut it up with a hacksaw and disposed of it in parts in trash cans. The men were living together, having been placed into a home after living on the streets.

Authorities said nobody knew about the murder until Hallett called the police in 2022, claiming he murdered his roommate from the past. Presumably, La Porte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said, the body parts wound up in a landfill, but helping to land the conviction was microscopic evidence of a human body recovered from the basement floor. He credited Michigan City Police for their work in collecting that evidence.

“If they wouldn’t have done what they did with this case and doing the forensic evidence on the basement floor and pointing out certain kind of samples and such then we would not have been able to present a successful case,” he said.

Hallett faces anywhere from 45 to 65 years on the Murder conviction and another 30 months on the Level 6 felony Dismembering a Corpse conviction.

(Indianapolis, IN) - Farmers from Indiana and other states could benefit tremendously if what looks like gold is struck from ongoing trade talks with the world’s most populous country.

India is viewed as having almost endless potential for U.S. exports of corn, soybeans, and other crops along with poultry. With 1.4 billion people, the developing country has a growing economy and more households with middle and upper-middle-class incomes able to afford more than just the basic staples in their diets. Enhancing the purchasing power in that country are higher incomes also being in the hands of people 24 years of age and younger, which makes up 45 percent of India’s population.

Courtney Kingery, Chief Executive Officer of the Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, and Indiana Corn Growers Association, was part of a delegation that went on a USDA-sponsored trade mission trip to India last month. She came back excited about India’s interest in becoming a trade partner with the U.S. and the role the Hoosier state can play in helping meet the country’s demand for corn, soybeans, duck, and turkey. Currently, not much trade happens between the U.S. and India, which ranks 13^th for the amount of farm goods the U.S. exports to other countries.

“It can be a difference maker as this goes forward,” she said.

Indiana is the nation’s leading producer of duck and the third-largest producer of turkey, also ranking high in the production of corn and soybeans. The export of poultry to India is high on the interest level of food producers since very little beef and pork are consumed in that nation.

After returning from the trip. Kingery said work has continued on connecting Indiana producers with potential customers in the private sector the delegation met during the trip and others from India who might be interested.

“I’m just really excited to see what develops over the next several years,” she said.

Driving much of the optimism is India lowering its tariffs on imports for goods such as poultry, which dropped from 30 percent to 5 percent, and reception from business owners looking to stay in good enough supply to meet growing demand

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man will receive a high honor this evening for his many years of work in the community, as Leigh Morris is going to receive the La Porte County Good Scout Award.
 

The accolade is given every year by the Boy Scouts of America so as to recognize people whose efforts reflect the example the organization tries to instill in youth and out in the community, per Jason Yoder with the LaSalle Council of the Boys Scouts. The LaSalle Council includes La Porte, Porter, and other surrounding counties including some in Michigan like Berrien County.

Morris was the president and chief executive officer at the former La Porte Hospital during the 70s, 80s, and 90s, in addition to serving as mayor from 2004 through 2007. He has also been involved with many other companies and organizations throughout much of his lifetime, on top of being a Boy Scout himself while growing up in Hartford City, which is between Fort Wayne and Indianapolis.

“He has been involved in for-profit and not-for-profit endeavors. He has been a leader in the healthcare industry. He has done a tremendous amount of work to engage our community to make our community better and to build positive relationships and conversations,” Yoder remarked.

The award will be given at the Silver Palace in La Porte during a dinner beginning at 6 p.m.

(Michigan City, IN) - Free walks with a doctor will start later this month in Michigan City as part of a program previously created by Franciscan Health to promote healthier lifestyles and supplement the exercise individuals might already be doing.

The 5K walks through Washington Park will begin at City Hall after a brief health talk by a physician or clinical staff member and stretching, hospital officials said. However, people do not have to complete the walks.

The walks, beginning on May 29th, will occur every Wednesday beginning at 6 p.m. following on-site registration at 5:30 p.m.

The Walk with a Doc program is a collaboration between Franciscan Health Michigan City, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, General Insurance Services, MDwise, the City of Michigan City, and the Michigan City Police Department. For more information, contact Franciscan Health Michigan City Community Health Improvement Coordinator Nila Williams at (219) 283-9649 or nila.williams@franciscanalliance.org.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte woman was allegedly found with narcotics in her vehicle after being pulled over by law enforcement.

Brenda Loggins, 40, has been charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 6 felony Possession of Methamphetamine and Class A misdemeanor Resisting Law Enforcement.

According to court documents, at about 2 a.m. on May 7th a La Porte Police officer pulled Loggins over on Andrew Avenue near 12^th Street regarding a bad taillight. There, she allegedly tried to conceal a plastic bag containing 3.5 grams of methamphetamine in a cupholder.

Loggins was reportedly ordered out of the vehicle, but she began throwing her arms around and causing the meth to fall on the ground and the officer’s flashlight to go up on the windshield. Per authorities, she ultimately had to be physically pulled out of the vehicle.

She could face an up to 30-month sentence on the drug-related charge and another one-year sentence on the remaining count.

(Hammond and Westville, IN) - Purdue University Northwest has earned official designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, which marks PNW, with campuses in Hammond and near Westville, as the largest HSI in the state of Indiana.

Upon completion of the assessment, the U.S. DOE designates colleges and universities as HSIs that have enrolled at least 25% of undergraduate full-time students who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.

Since the 2022-23 academic year, PNW has enrolled a full-time undergraduate student population that is over 25% Latino. Within that population, approximately 70% are first-generation students. PNW’s enrollment figures also show it serves the most Latino students among all Northwest Indiana higher education institutions, PNW officials said.

“Purdue University Northwest is tremendously proud to earn this designation and represent our metropolitan region and Indiana as the Purdue University system’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution,” said PNW Chancellor Kenneth C. Holford.

“It is central to our institutional mission and strategic plan to provide a high-quality academic and learning environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and supportive of all students and their backgrounds. We are excited for the continued progress of our Latino and first-generation students at PNW,” he said.

Higher education institutions designated as HSIs become eligible for several federal programs and grants intended to enhance academic, on-campus, and professional development opportunities for all students. In 2023, the Biden-Harris administration awarded more than $40 million to HSIs around the U.S. to expand educational opportunities and improve retention for Latino students, PNW officials said.

(La Porte, IN) - Disciplinary action has been taken against two students in the La Porte School Corporation for making firearm-related threats.

Interim Schools Superintendent Dr. Peggy Hinckley said one threat was written on a bathroom wall at the high school, while the other was verbally communicated to another student at the middle school. However, she noted that the investigation produced no evidence the students had access to any guns. Although the threats made last week were determined not to be serious, she said children should not make threats to harm others even if they’re just joking, due to the alarm generated by such remarks nowadays.

“Words matter. When you threaten things or say you’re going to shoot up or hurt someone, if we know about that we’re going to investigate it, and if we determine that you did say those things, there’s going to be consequences,” she said.

Hinckley said she could not disclose what type of disciplinary action was taken against the students.

(La Porte County, IN) - More light has been shed on the resignation of La Porte County Democratic Party chairman Angela Henzman, who had held the position since December of 2022.

The Michigan City area woman said she stepped down to dedicate herself more to her bid to become the next La Porte County Clerk, the decision having nothing to do with more than twice as many Republican ballots being cast in comparison to Democratic ballots in the May 7th primary.

Henzman, who is the Democratic nominee after running unopposed in the primary, is facing Republican incumbent Heather Stevens in the November general election.  Stevens also did not have a challenger for a second term in the primary.

“I am going to give someone else the opportunity to lead the party while I focus my attention on my campaign for clerk,” she said.

According to the clerk’s office, there were close to eight thousand Republican ballots pulled compared to slightly more than three thousand ballots cast by Democrats. Historically, the numbers between the parties are much more even in La Porte County during the primaries.

Henzman said she felt the disparity had to do with the Democratic Party having just one contested race for three county council at-large seats compared to the Republican Party, which had challengers in many races such as governor, state senate, and county commissioner. Likewise, there were also a number of primary races without Democratic candidates. She said Democrats Qiana Edwards for La Porte County Auditor and Camille Merriweather for La Porte County Recorder, have since been slated to run for those offices in the general election.  More Democratic candidates are expected to be slated for the general election in other races where Republicans are currently unopposed.

“Though we did not have many contested races in the primary, the Democratic ticket is full of strong candidates and I believe that will be reflected in the fall election,” she said.

She replaced Dr. Vidya Kora, who resigned after expressing disappointment at the poor showing by most La Porte County Democrats in the November general election of 2022.

At the time, Kora said support of former Republican president Donald Trump in LaPorte County was still strong, if not, growing at a time when his support nationwide seemed to begin weakening.

Henzman, 39, said her legacy as party chairman will mostly be about her commitment to inclusion and diversity. 

“My goal was to open the party to those who had previously felt excluded such as women, minorities, young people and the LGBTQ community,” she said.

Henzman said providing support for candidates in areas like fundraising and campaign finance requirements also ranks high on the mark she left on the party along with equal treatment of all party candidates in primaries.

"We really wanted to give candidates the tools they needed to be successful,” she said.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man is facing Child Molestation charges for acts that allegedly occurred in La Porte County a decade or so ago.

Authorities say that Joshua Schroeder was about 30 years old at the time of the crimes, allegedly done towards a female victim between the ages of five and eight at the time. Schroeder has been charged with molesting the girl on three occasions in the Michigan City area from 2012 to 2017, with a warrant issued for his arrest last week following an investigation.

Authorities became involved after the girl told her mother about the alleged activity.  Schroeder has not been taken into custody yet, with investigation indicating that he later moved to Tennessee, then Arizona, and now could be living in Texas.

He could face an up to 40-year sentence on the most serious of the three counts. 

(La Porte, IN) - The circus is coming again to La Porte, as the Shrine Extreme Circus is scheduled to perform at the Civic Auditorium on June 3th and 4th.

The Shrine Extreme Circus is led by Ringmaster “Lucky” Malatsi, who navigates the audience through a blend of jumps and stunts displayed by BMX and moto riders along with trapeze artists and other acts. The circus will also feature a herd of Asian Elephants demonstrating their grace, intelligence, and strength in the center ring.

For over 60 years, the Carden family, producers of the Shrine Extreme Circus, has performed before hundreds of thousands of audience members with talent from across the globe.

Tickets are on sale now for $9.99 for a limited time. Later, the general admission tickets will be $20 online, and $25 at the box office with a limited number of $35 Reserved Floor seats. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.spectacularcircus.com or at the box office one hour before each show at the Civic Auditorium.

(La Porte, IN) - A $6.1 million modernization over the past three years has left the Civic Auditorium in La Porte feeling like brand new, but its beloved atmosphere remains historic.

Among the improvements made in the effort included the first use of air conditioning on the main level of the building, originally erected in 1929. The air conditioning system was installed to have more major events during the summer and keep a building that can become a little too warm at heavily attended major events cool, even during the winter.

“It makes the building more user-friendly year round,” said Civic Auditorium Director Brett Binversie.

The addition of air conditioning, along with a new, more efficient heating system, marked the completion of the renovation paid for entirely from the $11 million the city received in federal American Rescue Plan monies, which went to communities nationwide to help in the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other upgrades made last year included replacing the original all-wooden seats in the balcony with wider cushioned plastic framed seats containing cupholders. The aisles and steps in the balcony, which contains 1,160 seats as per Binversie, were also made wider with handrails installed for the safety of spectators navigating to and from their seats. Another 600 to 1,500 people can be seated on the floor.  

The work started in 2021 by placing a new roof on the building. LED lighting was also installed throughout the structure, which improved the quality of the lighting and efficiency, he said. Binversie noted in turn that there were also upgrades to the sound system, allowing bands and other musical performers to use less of their own audio equipment and perform with better acoustics.

He said the primary reason for the investment was to host more revenue-generating major events at the Civic and extend its life as an important facility for more community-related functions.

“It really makes the Civic a little more ready for the next 100 years,” he said.

Shortly after taking office in 2020, Mayor Tom Dermody made the Civic Auditorium one of his top priorities in response to a desire from citizens for more things to do locally. Dermody said he felt the upgrades were necessary to get more use out of the facility and for spectators to want to come back for future events.

“It wasn’t meant to be a museum. It was meant to be used,” he said.

Dermody also wanted to preserve a piece of the city’s heritage, The Civic Auditorium was built and donated to the city for public use by the locally prominent Fox family, who once ran the Fox Woolen Mills for several decades beginning in the late 1800s. Over the years, the Civic Auditorium has hosted anything from weddings, high school proms, and multiple concerts annually by the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra. Occasionally, there have been major entertainers, ranging from the late comedian Bob Hope to former and current country music superstars Randy Travis, Sara Evans, and Clint Black.

There have also been a lot of concerts over the past two years from tribute bands, with a Jimmy Buffet tribute act having previously played on May 11th, a Van Halen tribute band scheduled for May 31st, and a Neil Diamond tribute concert set for June 9th.

For the past three years, the facility has also hosted an ESPN-televised basketball invitational featuring the top college prep school talent in the country.

Another goal of the investment is to make the Civic Auditorium totally self-sufficient, with Binversie saying that the amount of tax dollars used to fund the facility has dropped from about $297,000 in 2020 to $68,000 this year.

“The Civic is a one of a kind and we need to take care of what we have. We’re certainly doing that with the Civic Auditorium,” Dermody said.

(Michigan City, IN) - The Michigan City Parks and Recreation Department has set May 24th as the opening day of the Oasis Splash Park for the season.

The splash park at Washington Park on the city’s lakefront will be open until September 2nd. Daily operating hours, depending on the weather, are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information, contact the park department at (219) 873-1506.

People can also send emails to parkandrec@emichigancity.com, or learn more online via www.emichigancity.com/315/Oasis-Splash-Park or www.facebook.com/MCParkDepartment.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Democrats are now looking for a new leader as Angela Henzman, the La Porte County Democratic Party chairman since December of 2022, has resigned.

Henzman was known for welcoming all people into the party during her relatively brief stay as party chairman, also being credited with ending exclusionary policies aimed at keeping individuals out of the party. In addition, Henzman helped to charter the LaPorte County Young Democrats to focus on outreach and engagement of younger generations.

Despite leaving her post, Henzman said she will remain the party’s nominee for La Porte County Clerk in the November general election.

So far, no reason has been given for her resignation. 

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man is facing potential time in prison for allegedly firing a gun multiple times inside his residence.

Kevin Klein, 28, has been charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 5 felony Criminal Recklessness when, according to court documents, at about 8 p.m. on May 8th police officers responded to multiple reports of shots being fired in the 100 block of A Street. At the scene, authorities discovered about a dozen bullet holes in the kitchen wall.

Klein reportedly told investigators that he and his girlfriend had been arguing and drinking alcohol during the day, before packing some things to leave for a few days and placing them inside his truck. When he went to go back inside the house to collect more items, Klein said the house was locked, so he became angry and kicked the door in. That resulted in more arguing inside the residence and his girlfriend walking outside with their two-year-old son, police said.

Police said Klein chose not to discuss the firing of the gun. He could face an up to six-year sentence on the felony charge.

(Michigan City, IN) - A man is now on trial for killing a roommate and disposing of his dismembered body in municipal trash cans in Michigan City.

Opening arguments were given today in the La Porte Superior Court 1 trial of Mark Hallett who, according to court documents, called Michigan City Police in 2022 claiming he killed an “old roommate” in a home they shared in the 1000 block of West 9^th Street in late November of 2017. Hallett said he and the victim, Paul Gonzales, were homeless until they were placed into the residence they shared by Housing Opportunities, a group with more than 200 low-income housing units in LaPorte and Porter counties.

During an argument, he told police he struck the victim from behind with a crutch and choked him to death, before reportedly allowing the body to lay on the basement floor for more than 50 days. Hallett, 55, told investigators he then dismembered the body with a hacksaw and placed the body parts in plastic bags disposed of in municipal trash cans.

Hallett allegedly told police he killed the 64-year-old Gonzales because he thought the victim was stealing his mail and trying to get him evicted from their home.

(La Porte County, IN) - Police are blaming distracted driving for a three-vehicle collision on a state highway in La Porte.

The crash happened just before 4 p.m. on Saturday on Indiana 39 near County Road 925 North.

Kilion Schwandt, 22, told investigators he was headed southbound in a 2003 Ford Explorer when he looked down at his GPS device, only to find he was in the oncoming lane upon looking back up, according to La Porte County Police. The oncoming driver, Christopher Cook, 45, told investigators he swerved but the oncoming vehicle still made contact with the driver’s side of his 2020 Subaru.

Schwandt also wound up hitting a second oncoming vehicle operated by 18-year-old Sofie Joseph.

Authorities note that everyone involved in the accident was tended to by medics, but declined further medical attention. The total damage was estimated at $25,000 to $50,000.

(Michigan City, IN) - Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb took a South Shore commuter train from Michigan City to Gary today to take part in a ribbon cutting for the new double track. At about 10 a.m., the governor boarded a passenger car at the new train station, featuring an eight-car platform, at 11^th and Franklin Streets.

“Today marks a day of celebration,” Holcomb said, also noting how the double track and other improvements have greatly modernized a line in desperate need of upgrading for decades.

14 additional train cars have been added to increase the number of trips and accommodate an expected increase in ridership.

“We’re not only going to have a lot more runs every day, but the quality of the travel is second to none,” he said.

The new train schedule, reflecting quicker travel times to and from Chicago, will go into effect on Tuesday.

“It’s almost surreal to think that we’re actually here after all of the years of trying to get this going,” said Mike Noland, President of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, which operates the commuter line.

A significant increase in economic activity is anticipated from a projected increase in passengers taking advantage of one-way trips to and from Michigan City via train being 30 minutes quicker. 

Construction has already begun on three towers that will contain a hotel, condominiums, and apartments on Michigan City’s north side when completed.

Noland said quicker travel was achieved mostly from trains no longer having to stop and wait for trains ahead of them on a single line to finish picking up and unloading passengers at a number of stations along the way. He said additional time was saved by transforming some of the curves into longer straightaways to reduce the number of slowdowns.

Noland explained how the double track had been in the railroad’s strategic plan since 2014. He said milestones achieved to make it a reality included securing state and federal funding to pay for most of the over $600 million project.

“Those were huge hurdles,” he said.

Noland said it’s difficult to know when the expected surge in ridership will happen, but quicker travel on the double track is being advertised in this part of the state. He also strongly feels word about the faster times will spread into the Chicago area through social media.

“I really do believe we’re going to see tremendous spikes in ridership,” he said.

Officials also believe the lakefront, Blue Chip Casino, and the Indiana Dunes National Park are among the other attractions in the Michigan City area that will help draw more visitors from the Chicago area. La Porte County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Jack Arnett said his organization will help promote the quicker train travel to the masses right away to bring in more visitors.

In addition, Arnett said, his group will inform visitors attending several day-long conventions at the Blue Chip about the quicker travel to Chicago so they can do things there and return by train to resume their stay in Michigan City.

Arnett said he suspects quicker travel by train will have an immediate positive economic impact on Michigan City and increase further over time as more people become aware of the improved service. 

(La Porte, IN) - A man suspected of stealing a car was captured in a vehicular and foot-based pursuit that began in La Porte.

Sonny Taylor, 23, of La Porte was allegedly behind the wheel of a vehicle detected as being stolen on Friday evening by a Flock camera on Pine Lake Avenue near the overpass. A law enforcement officer then attempted a pull Taylor over in a traffic stop but the suspect accelerated, reportedly topping at 90 miles per hour while traveling northbound on U.S. 35. He passed other motorists in the opposite lane and on the shoulder before veering down 400 North where the officer lost sight of the vehicle.

Eventually, police located the vehicle, a red Kia Rio, abandoned about 100 yards down a dirt path.

Taylor was taken into custody after someone called 911 and reported a man matching his description running through a nearby wooded area and later a yard on 450 North.

The charges filed against him included Motor Vehicle Theft and Resisting Law Enforcement.

(Michigan City, IN) - A grand opening is scheduled today for the South Shore commuter line’s double track between Michigan City and Gary.

A ribbon cutting will happen at the Miller station in Gary late this morning.

Governor Eric Holcomb will join local, state, and federal officials for the ceremony.

The project, costing over 600 million dollars, will reduce travel time from Michigan City to Chicago by about 30 minutes and is expected to generate a considerable increase in economic activity for communities like Michigan City.