(Joel Bogdan: Photo Courtesy of the Times)

(Charles Nafus III: Photo Courtesy of the Times)
Today's Times reports an unrelated investigation has lead to two 19 year old men each being charged with felony child molestation. Published reports say Joel Bogdan, of Portage, and Charles Nafus the third, of Lake Station, are alleged to have had sexual relation with a 13 year old girl, after she notified Hobart Police of the sexual encounters. The Times reports both men knew the girl was 13 at the time...

(Photo Courtesy of Hammond Police)
Hammond Police are grateful to an alert shopper who helped captured a robbery and assault on video Friday afternoon. Hammond Police Chief Brian Miller says a 55 year old woman was violently yanked to the ground by her purse by a young robber while at Walmart, located on the 18-hundred block of 165^th Street. Chief Miller says the robbers then fled the scene, but did not know a Walmart patron had witnessed the incident, captured it on video, and followed the...

A 19 year old Indianapolis man is expected to face numerous charges after leading police on a high speed chase on I-65 in excess of 110 miles per hour. The Times reports a Lake County Sheriff's Department Officer witnessed Dontae Blunt speeding, weaving in and out of traffic, and following too closely, on I-65, just north of the Kankakee River, around 4:30 Friday afternoon. Published reports say near the 109^th Street exit, Blunt evaded tire deflating devices on the roadway, and was allegedly...

A 44 year old Fegely Middle School teacher is being held at last check in the Porter County Jail with no bond after being taken into custody for misconduct involving two female juveniles. Portage Police report Brian Tyman, of Portage, is charged with two-counts of felony child solicitation and two felony counts of vicarious sexual gratification. Police report, through the course of their investigation, it was learned that the teacher had been maintaining a relationship with the previous...

(Gov Pence at the Porter County Career & Technical Center)       (Gov Pence at Horizon Finanical Management Expansion Announcement)

(Design of new Horizon Financial Management facility)

Indiana Governor Mike Pence ended his first full week as Governor in Northwest Indiana, making stops this afternoon in Merrillville and Valparaiso. The Governor's first stop was at the Porter County Career and Technical Center, where he met and greeted faculty and students, as...

Lake County's two largest chambers of commerce have announced a new joint initiative called the Lake County IN Economic Alliance. Officials from the Crossroads Regional, representing Merrillville and Crown Point, and Lakeshore chamber, serving Hammond and East Chicago, say the new economic development group is meant to foster job growth and encourage more investment in the Region. Crossroads Chamber President and CEO Sue Reed says they want the alliance to be there for existing businesses: "One...

Six members of the Indiana Legislature who represent various parts of Porter County will be on hand for the Legislative Forum Saturday January 26, from 9 am to 10:30 am at Bailly Elementary School, 800 5th St, Chesterton -- new location.  The forum is open to the public.  Sponsored by the Porter County Retired Teachers Association, registration for the forum will begin at 8:30 am. Those attending may fill out a card with one question for the legislators. Attending will be state lawmakers Ed C...

The two biggest chambers of commerce in Lake County have announced a new joint initiative called the “Lake County IN Economic Alliance”. Officials from the Crossroads Regional, representing Merrillville and Crown Point, and Lakeshore chamber, serving Hammond and East Chicago, say the new economic development group is meant to foster job growth and encourage more investment in the Region. They say the two chambers collectively represent more than 12-hundred businesses.
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Indiana Governor Mike Pence has scheduled visits in Lake and Porter Counties today. The governor will  tour Porter County Career and Technical Center in Valparaiso. Afterwards, he'll be joining executives from a healthcare services provider for a jobs announcement in Merrillville. 
The Indianapolis Star reports First Lady Karen Pence is expected to be recuperating at home this weekend following emergency gall bladder surgery Thursday. Goveror Mike Pence issued a statement expressing their...

Gary city officials have announced Continuum of Care Network of NWI will conduct a street count of homeless individuals in Lake County on January 30^th, and volunteers are needed to perform the count throughout different areas in the county. The effort is part of the 2013 Point-In-Time Count coordinated by Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, the state housing finance agency, and the Local Regional Planning Council. The effort will include a count of homeless persons throughout...