Lake County widens ban on discharge of firearms
Officials in Lake County in northwestern Indiana are widening a ban on the discharge of firearms in parts of the county despite protests from gun owners.
Lake County
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10 to interview Jan. 31 for Lake Superior judgeship
The Lake County Judicial Nominating Commission will interview 10 applicants Jan. 31 for a Lake Superior Court vacancy that will occur in February when Judge Diane Kavadias Schneider retires.
Public comment sought on Lake Superior judge applicants
The Indiana Supreme Court is seeking public comment on the candidates who have applied to fill an upcoming vacancy in Lake Superior Court. Comments must be submitted via email to [email protected] by noon CST on Jan. 14.
AG’s office seeking more than $132K from Gary councilwoman who violated state law
A Gary city councilwoman has been ordered to reimburse the Gary Sanitary District more than $132,000 in wages for the time she illegally held two municipal positions simultaneously, and the Indiana Attorney General has begun efforts to secure the reimbursement.
Man charged with neglect after Lebanon toddler fatally shoots sister
A northwestern Indiana man has been charged with felony neglect after police say a 3-year-old boy fatally shot his 4-year-old sister with the suspect’s gun in the family’s home.
Murder trial in officer’s 1980 killing moved to summer
A man’s murder trial in the 1980 shooting death of an off-duty northwestern Indiana police officer has been moved to this summer.
Prosecutors concede 3 Buncich convictions should be vacated
Federal prosecutors concede there wasn’t enough evidence to convict former Lake County Sheriff John Buncich on three of the five wire fraud counts he was found guilty of and he should be resentenced. Prosecutors say they failed to introduce sufficient evidence of “Federal reserve payroll fund” transfers alleged in three counts of the indictment against Buncich and “the Court should vacate Buncich’s convictions on those counts.”
Survivor benefits not excluded from marital assets, COA says
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed a trial court’s division of a divorced couple’s marital property, finding the wife’s survivor benefit from her ex-husband’s pension could not be excluded from the marital assets.
Applicants sought to replace Lake Superior Judge Schneider
A Lake Superior Court judge will retire early next year, prompting the Lake County Judicial Nominating Commission to begin the process of selecting her replacement.
NW Indiana scrap dealer convicted of razing historic bridge
A federal jury has convicted a northwestern Indiana scrap-metal dealer of interstate transportation of stolen goods for allegedly demolishing a historic railroad bridge and selling the metal. Prosecutors said Kenneth Morrison and a work crew cut up the unused Monon Bridge that spanned the Grand Calumet River near downtown Hammond and sold it to Illinois scrapyards for $18,000. He also allegedly sold parts to an East Chicago scrap dealer.
Lake County last to adopt e-filing in 2018
Lake County has officially adopted electronic filing, making it the last county that will roll out e-filing this year. That leaves seven counties left to implement e-filing, three of which have yet to deploy the Odyssey electronic case management system.
Group seeks 2nd hearing on tainted East Chicago site’s cleanup
East Chicago community group is asking for a second public hearing on the proposed cleanup of the site of a public housing complex that was evacuated and demolished because of industrial contamination. The East Chicago Calumet Coalition Community Advisory Group says many residents didn’t get to speak at a Nov. 29 hearing about a $26.5 million project to remove tainted soil from the site of the West Calumet Housing Complex.
Sheriff wants new armored vehicle to deal with ‘threats’
A sheriff in northwestern Indiana wants to buy a $360,000 armored vehicle, but local officials are not so sure.
Munster man pleads guilty to post office pipe bomb
A man charged in a pipe bomb explosion at a northwestern Indiana post office says he was targeting an attorney who had filed a lawsuit against him. Eric Krieg of Munster pleaded guilty Tuesday to making an unregistered destructive device and other charges.
Judge denies new trial in off-duty officer’s 1980 death
A judge has denied a request for a new trial for an alleged getaway driver convicted in the 1980 shooting death of an off-duty northwestern Indiana police officer. James Hill was sentenced to 47 years in prison in October after a jury earlier convicted him of murder in perpetuation of robbery and attempted robbery, and Judge Salvador Vasquez determined there was no need for a new trial.
Lake County judge appointed; finalists named for second vacancy
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has appointed a magistrate judge as the newest judge of the Lake Superior Court and will soon begin the process of filling another Lake County court vacancy.
‘Reasonable diligence’ required estate to inquire into medical malpractice
Finding that it was not necessary to pinpoint the trigger date for when the clock began running on the statute of limitations in a medical malpractice case, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed the denial of summary judgment against a physician, medial practice and hospital.
Hammond man sues police, seeks damages for crash injuries
A northwestern Indiana man alleges in a federal lawsuit that he suffered a traumatic brain injury when a police officer ran a red light and struck his vehicle in 2016.
US Supreme Court pushes deadline on Lake Michigan beach case
The U.S. Supreme Court won’t decide until next year whether to consider arguments from residents of Chief Justice John Roberts’ Indiana hometown of Long Beach over ownership of the Lake Michigan community’s shoreline. The case could have a ripple effect for public and private property rights across the Great Lakes states.
Order to return 5-unit apartment to single-family house upheld
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed a public works and safety board’s order that a man restore a property he uses as apartments back to a single-family dwelling after finding the home to be unsafe and sufficient evidence proved it was not a multi-family unit.