The victim was identified by the Lake County Coroner's Office as Alfredo Bonilla EAST CHICAGO — A 58-year-old man was killed in a crash Saturday night in what was an active day for East Chicago first responders. The crash occurred in the 3900 block of Elm Street Police had not shared details of the crash as of Sunday afternoon and did not respond to a request for comment Catherine Hospital in East Chicago at approximately 9 p.m where doctors had earlier pronounced Bonilla deceased The coroner's office said a forensic autopsy is scheduled for Monday It confirmed he died by manner of a motor vehicle accident but the injuries he sustained are still unclear Pieces of the old gym floor are set aside for souvenirs at the Calumet New Tech High School The gymnasium is undergoing a complete renovation It is hoped to be completed in time for the girls basketball season A worker rips up the gym floor at the Calumet New Tech High School Workers rip up the gym floor at the Calumet New Tech High School Mason Macenski and Nicole Kupchik join Chancellor Chris Holford in front of the wall of fame at the Purdue University Northwest Alumni Hall of Fame induction ceremony Thursday Hall of Fame Recipient Nicole Kupchik speaks at the Purdue University Northwest Alumni Hall of Fame induction ceremony Indiana Governor Mike Braun and CORE X CROWN president of Midwest region Tom Smith chat inside one of the three freezer rooms at CORE X CROWN a new 450,000-square-foot cold storage and logistics facility now open in Crown Point This is one of the three freezer rooms at CORE X CROWN tours the CORE X CROWN facility with the president of Midwest region Tom Smith CORE X CROWN is a new 450,000-square-foot cold storage and logistics facility now open in Crown Point Leroy and Jamie Marsh have been part of the Munster High School family for many years Jamie was awarded the IIAAA Distinguished Service Award last weekend for devoting more than 45 years to Munster's athletic department Jamie Marsh is particularly proud of this photo from 2015 with husband Leroy and sister-in-law Twila Marsh Jamie Marsh was awarded this IIAAA Distinguished Service Award last weekend for devoting more than 45 years to Munster's athletic department speaks Tuesday night in support of former fire chief Todd Wilkening "How can you give a directive to a fire chief or a fireman if you don't know what it feels like to be them?" Kerr asked the councilmembers Community members await the start of Tuesday night's town council meeting in Cedar Lake Williams Elementary student Prince Smith looking at a dog hair through a microscope during as part of the school's STEM club IUN student Mina Mahmood and Williams Elementary student Wynter Windfield testing the density of plastic beads by placing them in different liquids during Williams' STEM club meeting on Tuesday Hobart Mayor Josh Huddlestun unveils a new city logo at his April 2 State of the City address Dyer firefighters Josh Warn (left) and Aiden Kluth (right) demonstrate the use of a radio receiver to locate the kind of FM transmitter worn by at-risk participants in Project Lifesaver The driver of a Tesla Cybertruck is jeered at Saturday's protest in Crown Point Jenny Webber joins Saturday's protest in Crown Point Georgette Driemeyer joins hundreds at Saturday's protest in Crown Point Hundreds show for Saturday's protest in Crown Point Logan's Love also acquired two bounce houses and a commercial-grade bubble machine — Logan loved bubbles the soapy spheres filled the air and landed softly all over the grassy park Logan's Love — a nonprofit founded by Nicole Reveliotis died in a train accident in August 2022 — hosted the sensory Easter egg hunt at Redar Park in Schererville for the third consecutive year Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email Email notifications are only sent once a day Riding Shotgun with the Crown Point Fire Department "If someone is requesting immediate payment as a requirement for a jail release please ignore the request and contact law enforcement," Marti… A hearing for prosecutors to present evidence against Donald Johnson was again delayed because he had not hired legal counsel Portage officers had reportedly responded to the residence in the 2800 block of Emerson Street six times "over the past several weeks," the de… The Lake County Coroner's Office shared autopsy results of the man shot dead by a Gary police officer Wednesday morning after a standoff that … Indiana State Police was called out to the property damage crash near mile marker 33.1 between County Line Road and U.S Mrvan previously called the budget proposal "a legislative tragedy for Northwest Indiana that will strip away specific funding for pu… A witness saw the man holding what he described as two standard-sized butcher knives typically used to cut meat the Indiana National Guard reported it had 559 interactions at the southern border as of Wednesday Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account School City of East Chicago workers fought for a special cultural holiday and won more than they initially requested Workers have been demanding a paid holiday to observe the Polish-American holiday Śmigus-dyngus Day After the District denied their requests for two years and workers walked away with a win that exceeded their demands The District guaranteed workers will receive Śmigus-dyngus Day as a paid holiday and also awarded them an additional day off during Christmas break and two floating holidays “All workers deserve time off to observe holidays that align with their personal beliefs especially those with cultural significance workers won Śmigus-dyngus Day off and additional days to spend with their families LOGANSPORT ― It looked like Delta was getting ready to make its trademark comeback Down by as many as 12 points in the first quarter the Eagles had cut the deficit to six as the clock wound down on the first half with East Chicago Central senior Keontaye Bell hauling in the rebound Bell hurled a 70-foot shot toward the basket on the other side One shot did not ultimately decide Saturday’s IHSAA Class 3A boys basketball semi-state semifinal game between the Cardinals and Eagles but that heroic bucket from Bell gave ECC the momentum it needed to close out a 62-46 victory More: Indiana high school boys basketball scores: IHSAA semistate live updates, schedule More: These former Indiana high school basketball players are in the Women's NCAA Tournament you’re down three,” Delta coach Mark Detweiler said and you’ve got to have all of those in a game like this against a talented team like that.” Slow start doesn’t help Delta’s causeEast Chicago Central (21-8) scored the first eight points of the contest I don’t know if I’d draw up anymore offensive possessions with the shots we got ― they were the shots we’ve gotten all year The closest the Eagles would get from there is four when senior Jordan Furney made a shot to make it a 21-17 contest East Chicago scored the final five of the first half ― including that ‘3’ from Bell ― to go up Delta would cut the deficit to six on multiple occasions in the third quarter It would be a 40-30 Cardinals lead through three The margin grew to as many as 18 in the fourth we just couldn’t get that next stop or get that next make,” Detweiler said Other 3A semi-state semifinal: Saint Joseph boys basketball puts up record scoring total in semi-state semifinal The Eagles had a tough time containing Cardinals senior Dominque Murphy who finished with 22 points on 12-of-12 shooting and he brought his A-plus game today,” said Detweiler of Murphy Delta (17-8) surprised some people this year in making it to semi-state for a third-straight season The Eagles lost in the semi-state title game each of the last two years sophomore Jackson Peters three and seniors Cooper Bratton and Chase Ritchie two each After graduating its entire starting lineup from last year Delta still managed to be one of the final eight teams remaining in Class 3A “Proud of this group and how they played,” Detweiler said “That’s the biggest piece of the impact they’ve left because they just played the game the right way very good basketball team; enjoyable to coach and enjoyable to watch because of the style these guys bought into.” Austin covers high school sports for the South Bend Tribune Follow Hough on X (formerly Twitter) @AustinRHough and on Facebook at "Austin Hough - South Bend Tribune." Hough can be emailed at ahough@gannett.com Responding officers located a 35-year-old man from Dolton who had been shot three times in the torso area Catherine Hospital in serious but stable condition EAST CHICAGO — An Illinois man was injured Wednesday night in a shooting in the city's North Harbor area A person believed to have shot at the suspect in an attempt to protect the victim is in custody the East Chicago Police Department said officers responded to 3462 Guthrie St after the city's ShotSpotter technology alerted to nine rounds that had been fired at the address It also picked up an additional 10 rounds fired behind that location East Chicago criminal and crime scene investigators processed the scene and recovered a firearm and multiple shell casings "The person we have in custody appears to have been protecting the victim by shooting at the suspect," Rivera clarified in an email to the Times Thursday afternoon The city's Indiana Harbor section had already seen multiple shootings in 2025 in what has been a busy year so far for the area In January, a 45-year-old man was killed in the 1800 block of East 140th Street in a domestic homicide that appeared to have been carried out in self-defense In March, a 17-year-old boy was shot near 3701 Dahlia St. and found dead less than 100 feet away. A 16-year-old boy has since been charged as an adult with murder Last Friday, two people were shot, one in the head, in a shooting less than a mile away from Wednesday night's incident East Chicago recorded four homicides in 2024, a 69% drop over a four-year period and the lowest in at least 12 years That statistic is on pace to be higher in 2025 Members of the swim team toss some dirt at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new aquatics center at Griffith High School Students from Beiriger Elementary School prepare to toss some dirt at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new aquatics center at Griffith High School Swim team coach Rob Keene speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new aquatics center at Griffith High School Indiana University President Pamela Whitten speaks during a ribbon cutting for the new Center for Urban and Regional Excellence’s (CURE) new campus-community space Center for Urban and Regional Excellence’s (CURE) Director Ellen Szarleta cuts the ribbon for the new campus-community space at Indiana University Northwest She is joined by Indiana University Vice President for Regional Campuses and Online Education Ken Iwama (from left) Indiana University President Pamela Whitten and Gary Mayor Eddie Melton Gary Mayor Eddie Melton speaks during a ribbon cutting for the new Center for Urban and Regional Excellence’s (CURE) new campus-community space Indiana University President Pamela Whitten chats with Holistic Evolution Founder and CEO Esther Lewis at the Center for Urban and Regional Excellence’s (CURE) new campus-community space Lynn Barbee has created a Facebook page for her cause “Let My People Sit,” where she compiles research articles about this topic “So a state legislative committee will have a quick place to go for resources,” she said “It's unfortunate there even has to be a law since taking care of employees this way just makes sense,” Lynn Barbee said “Our workforce is getting older and people need to work longer but it's not just the older ones who have issues.” Lynn Barbee is trying to raise awareness for allowing workers to sit on their job she works at Home Depot where she has a chair next to her station The two guns raffled off Tuesday were valued at a total of approximately $1,500 The fundraiser was the organization's first-ever gun raffle Its leaders had seen similar raffles before and thought auctioning off two firearms would be a good way to raise money including Democrats for Dyer and the local chapters of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Indivisible gathered Tuesday to share their displeasure "They could've picked a different gun," said Anne Turner the team lead for Northwest Indiana's chapter of Moms Demand Action Bryon Mesarch (right) is joined by other members of the grassroots Merrillville Change Agency at the Merrillville Town Council's April 8 meeting Robert Buggs speaking to the Gary School Board on Thursday during a public hearing regarding his removal from the Gary Public Library Board McCullough Academy staff and students returned back to their school building on Tuesday nearly three weeks after an EF-1 tornado damaged part of the building's roof and forced classes to temporarily relocate to the Gary Area Career Center Savannah Bananas founder Jesse Cole speaks to students from Hobart High School and other schools across Indiana on Thursday as part of a virtual discussion hosted by the STARTedUP Foundation On April 9 the NWI Food Council hosted a screening and panel discussion centered around a new documentary Insecure," to explain how food insecurity and the "benefits cliff" applies within the Region is pictured with the panelists (from left to right) Veronica Jalomo but we’re still unable to meet everyone’s needs,” said panel speaker Ryan Elinkowski Hebron's Addison Toczek can't quite get to a Highland fly ball on Friday in Hebron Hebron's Macey Siminski takes over pitching duties on Friday in Hebron Highland's Jordan Steele connects for a triple against Hebron on Friday in Hebron James Shultz and Kate Schlobohm work to find homes for rescued kittens and cats Hagrid's Hope member James Shultz wrangles a pair of kittens at the Portage Pet Supply Plus The organization works to find homes for rescued kittens and cats Hagrid's Hope member James Shultz wrangles a trio of kittens at the Portage Pet Supply Plus Congressman Frank Mrvan tours East Chicago Police Department with Police Chief Jose Rivera the Indiana State Police said its criminal investigations section at the Lowell Post received tips that Aurenz ha… toured the Munster memorial and spent Wednesday evening at American Legion Post 20 in Crown Point for a meet and greet f… was wanted in Illinois for kidnapping and was charged in Indiana on Sunday with criminal confinement The Lake County Coroner's Office identified the deceased as 34-year-old Marcus Williams who was pronounced dead at the scene by inve… And they're a national symbol of Childhood Abuse Prevention Month The East Chicago Cardinals punched their ticket to the Semi State Championship game with a win over Delta Eagles East Chicago will be taking on South Bend St Share Good News Contact Us Meet Our Team The East Chicago Cardinals took on the Hanover Central Wildcats in the 3A Regional Championship game The Wildcats put up a strong fight but sadly East Chicago took home the win with a score of 78 to 55 Indiana Senate District 2 encompasses portions of Lake County District 2 communities include East Chicago the 2025 Session has been pivotal for Indiana from the budget to hits on diversity I stand with my caucus in working for Hoosiers Randolph Admonishes Super Majority for Discrimination Bill and Budget Bill Process -.. As the Indiana State Senate adjourned for the year Randolph (D-East Chicago) gave his thoughts on .. The new version of the budget for Indiana was released While there are aspects like increased taxes on all tobacco products Our caucus has put forth measures to create stable revenue and cost-effective strategies Senate Democrats: Budget Crisis Demands Truth Courage — and a Commitment to Hoosiers - Indiana.. Republican state leaders and Governor Braun presented Indiana’s final version of the two-year .. Bill authors and sponsors meet to discuss proposed changes before the conference committee these changes are announced and discussed.See the slides for more information! © document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Indiana Senate Democrats | All Rights Reserved | Design & Managed By by Just 4resh Dezigns East Chicago Central Dean of Students Charles Sanders ties a tie for Keontaye Bell following the team's win over Hanover Central on Saturday in Michigan City The players were all given the ties as a tribute to Junior Bridgeman who recently passed away East Chicago Central celebrates its regional win over Hanover Central on Saturday in Michigan City Wearing a tie in tribute to East Chicago basketball legend Junior Bridgeman East Chicago Central's Dominique Murphy cuts down a piece of the net on Saturday in Michigan City East Chicago Central's Dominique Murphy hits two over Hanover Central's Henry Maurer on Saturday in Michigan City The common refrain rang out with extra meaning Saturday as East Chicago Central fans celebrated their team’s first regional title since 2007 — and did so in honor of one of the best players to ever come through the basketball-loving city The Cardinals ran past Hanover Central in the Class 3A Michigan City regional by a score of 78-55 to capture the elusive trophy they donned red and navy blue ties in honor of Junior Bidgeman the East Chicago Washington legend who died Tuesday “You win two back-to-back (sectional) titles and you get to avenge your loss from a regional last year and it’s in memory of Junior Bridgeman and you have all the fans that came out in all red Just seeing the pride and seeing the respect that this community has for this basketball program and East Chicago athletics in general tells you the impact that some of these legends have had “You’re dealing with one of the greatest to ever do it not just in East Chicago and in this country but in this world… He paved the way for future generations and generations.” East Chicago won a sectional at 4A but faltered in the regional round After a first half that saw EC jump out to a 29-18 lead the Cardinals pushed the pedal to the floor EC Central put up 49 points in the second half Whenever the Wildcats looked to cut into the Cardinals’ advantage it felt like EC answered with a few key turnovers and buckets in transition Senior Keontaye Bell was often on the receiving end of those second half outlet passes pilling up 12 of his 14 points after the break we love running,” junior Jamarie Pollard said East Chicago star senior Dominique Murphy thrived in both the halfcourt and on the break scoring 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the field His 10 third quarter points — including two 3-pointers — were instrumental in the Cardinals widening the score after the midgame break “Our energy just got better (after halftime),” Murphy said Mroueh felt Hanover was too comfortable getting into its sets shooting 1-for-9 from behind the 3-point line those shots fell — a 4-for-13 showing after the break — but EC was already off and running is getting teams that are kind of methodical and getting them to into what’s called a speed drill,” Mroueh said “They want to slow down and run their stuff because they run really good stuff They have a state championship coach (in Bradley Stangel) So it’s just trying to get them to play in the full court.” Where Hanover found the most success Saturday was when it could get senior big Brad Rohde the ball on the block shooting 11-of-16 from the field for 28 points Four of his five misses came on late 3-point tries as the Wildcats scrambled to mount a comeback East Chicago advances to semistate with the win The Cardinals are looking for just their second semistate title since school consolidation — their first came in a state-title winning 2006-07 campaign The city of East Chicago has seen four state titles in its boys basketball history One came courtesy of Bridgeman’s 1971 Washington squad This year’s team is hoping to add another to the city’s illustrious history “It’s been a long time and it feels good to win,” Pollard said “We came together as a group and now we’re ready to go downstate.” East Chicago Central's Dominique Murphy sinks a pair on Saturday in Michigan City East Chicago Central's Joseph Watkins grabs a rebound from Hanover Central's Brad Rohde on Saturday in Michigan City East Chicago Central's Dominique Murphy hits two and is also fouled by Hanover Central's Henry Maurer on Saturday in Michigan City Challenged by Hanover Central's Gage Rodriguez East Chicago Central's Joseph Watkins still manages to hit a pair on Saturday in Michigan City East Chicago Central coach Alaa Mroueh and some of his players pose for photos on Saturday in Michigan City East Chicago Central coach Alaa Mroueh proudly holds the Regional Trophy on Saturday in Michigan City Crown Point's Kingston Rhodes and Portage's O'Mari Evans go after a rebound on Saturday in Michigan City The Crown Point Bulldogs pose for pictures after their victory over Portage on Saturday in Michigan City Crown Point's Kingston Rhodes brings the ball down court on Saturday in Michigan City Crown Point's Bryce Peters rolls in for a layup on Saturday in Michigan City Crown Point's Mason Darrell guards Portage's Garrett Clark on Saturday in Michigan City Crown Point's Dikembe Shaw hits three early in the game on Saturday in Michigan City Crown Point coach Clint Swan talks to his team after defeating Portage on Saturday in Michigan City The Crown Point Bulldogs celebrate their victory over Portage on Saturday in Michigan City Crown Point's Dikembe Shaw cuts down a piece of the net on Saturday in Michigan City Three-year-old Henry Schafer gives Crown Point's Quinn Begley a huge high-five after Crown Point's victory over Portage on Saturday in Michigan City Crown Point's Dikembe Shaw hits an easy pair on Saturday in Michigan City Portage's O'Mari Evans and Crown Point's Bryce Peters go after a rebound on Saturday in Michigan City Crown Point's Kingston Rhodes and Portage's Samuel Wellman chase down a loose ball on Saturday in Michigan City Crown Point's Kingston Rhodes is fouled by Portage's Bryce Kobe on Saturday in Michigan City High School Sports Extra - Hanover Central Wins First Sectional Since 2020 This edition of High School Sports Extra is provided in partnershi… Andres Lopez knew he wanted more for himself as a freshman at East Chicago Central His dedication paid off in Saturday's regional when he hit… Four Region teams will play for semistate titles on Saturday Get to know the teams — and their opponents — before game day full-court shot at the buzzer to conclude the first half of East Chicago Central's semistate semifinal game agai… Ke'lydn Rancifer allegedly shot and killed Justin Charleston and shot at another unnamed minor identified in court documents as "Juvenile #1," according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Lake Criminal Court Saturday EAST CHICAGO — A 16-year-old boy was charged as an adult Saturday with the murder of a 17-year-old and the attempted murder of another minor connected to the Friday-morning shooting that left one person dead Police initially responded to 3701 Dahlia St recorded eight rounds that had been fired in the area A suspect had not been taken into custody — Charleston later turned himself in at the East Chicago Police Department Ring Doorbell footage from Charleston's residence reportedly shows Charleston and Juvenile #1 leaving the house Juvenile #1 allegedly told detectives Charleston and Rancifer had "past altercations" but did not know specifics they attempted to walk a different direction to avoid him but Rancifer approached them pointed a black handgun at them and fired six or seven shots at them Juvenile #1 allegedly took off running and did not stop until the sound of gunshots had stopped A witness in the area reportedly told detectives he watched Charleston get shot and continue to run before he eventually collapsed Juvenile #1 identified Rancifer as the shooter when detectives presented him with a picture of the suspect Detectives also said they obtained video surveillance footage from a public traffic pole camera they say shows a person resembling Rancifer's description running away from the direction of the crime scene Rancifer's attorney contacted detectives and said Rancifer wanted to turn himself in Rancifer's father told police he had been working in his house when he heard gunshots and went outside A responding officer reportedly told the father his son had shot Charleston who answered but was crying uncontrollably and said "I made a big mistake" over and over but would not elaborate to his father The murder and attempted murder charges each carry with them a firearm enhancement the Lake County Coroner's Office positively identified Charleston and said an autopsy confirmed he died from gunshot wounds by manner of a homicide Rancifer's initial court appearance has not yet been scheduled Westville's Brian Jackson rolls in for two on Wednesday in Kouts Westville's Dillon Walpole hits two over Tri-Township's Ethan Dailey on Wednesday in Kouts Westville's Dillon Walpole scoops in two on Wednesday in Kouts Marquette Catholic's Vaughn Rael-Kludt jumps high for a pass on Wednesday in Kouts Kouts' Lucas Kleckner tries a shot over Marquette Catholic's Colson Dobre on Wednesday in Kouts Kouts' Eli Harper is fouled by Marquette Catholic's Colson Dobre on Wednesday in Kouts East Chicago Central's Keontaye Bell gets orders from his coach Jeremiah Ochoa on Tuesday in East Chicago East Chicago Central's Dominique Murphy Jr and Griffith's Nathan Visak scramble for the ball on Tuesday in East Chicago Valparaiso Creative Center Executive Director Jessica Corral poses with donor plaque inside the new Valpo Creates Center which will be opened at a public event Thursday Valparaiso Creative Center Executive Director Jessica Corral poses outside the new Valpo Creates Center which will be opened at a public event Thursday Edison Elementary School principal Adam White hands out literature to a parents on the possible consequence of federal funding cuts The effort was part of the "Protect Our Kids" day of action organized by teachers across Hammond schools on Thursday School City of Hobart Superintendent Peggy Buffington speaks to residents during an informational session about the district's operating referendum Voters will decide on May 6 whether to renew the measure for another eight years delivers his 2025 State of the City address at an event held by the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce at Dynasty Banquets on Calumet Avenue The Indiana Dunes Visitor Center is about to undergo a major overhaul The old exhibition room will be turned into an expanded gift shop and new exhibits will be installed in the lobby Gary Mayor Eddie Melton presents to an enthusiastic crowd at St Timothy Community Church about Gary's proposal for a new Lake County convention center Portage fans rush the court after their team's victory over Merrillville on Saturday in Valparaiso Merrillville's Josiah Jones guards Portage's Samuel Wellman on Saturday in Valparaiso Portage's Garrett Clark loses the ball to Merrillville's Jalen McAlister on Saturday in Valparaiso Merrillville's Cayden Thompson shoots over Portage's O'Mari Evens on Saturday in Valparaiso Boone Grove's Jack Stevens hits for a pair on Friday in Hebron Boone Grove's Mark Rowland gets jammed up by Hebron's Spencer Spinks and Brody Hale on Friday in Hebron Hebron's Spencer Wynsma pulls up to hit two on Friday in Hebron 21st Century's Lemetrius Williams guards Andrean's James Finley on Friday in Hebron Andrean's Jerry Triplett makes the shot and is fouled in the process on Friday in Hebron Andrean's Paul Gilvydis pulls down a rebound on Friday in Hebron The Cypress Log Cabin has been transformed into a rental by a new company which is now doing rentals inside Indiana Dunes National Park to 12 months in the Lake County Jail followed by a year of probation for dealing cocaine The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for portions of Lake County Wednesday at approximately 5:30 p.m The School City of East Chicago (SCEC) is proud to announce that we have received a rebate check of $232,145.96 from NIPSCO’s Energy Efficiency Programs in recognition of the district’s ongoing efforts to implement energy-saving initiatives The check presentation took place on Wednesday highlighting SCEC’s commitment to sustainability and cost-saving measures that benefit both the environment and the local community Through our participation in NIPSCO’s Energy Efficiency Programs the district has made significant upgrades to our facilities reducing energy consumption and lowering operational costs NIPSCO’s Energy Efficiency Programs support schools and residents in reducing energy usage through rebates and incentives for implementing high-efficiency lighting The funds received will be reinvested into further initiatives that enhance the district’s infrastructure and educational experience SCEC remains committed to sustainable practices that benefit both students and the broader East Chicago community This partnership with NIPSCO underlines the importance of collaboration in achieving long-term environmental and economic benefits Tune into our final day of regular season 2025 boys basketball – as the Griffith Panthers take on the host East Chicago Central Cardinals Here are the All-State selections selected by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association for the.. Here is what to expect for the four local Semi-State boys basketball games this.. Check out the GSSC's best from the 2024-25 girls basketball season Here are your 2025 PCC All-Conference nods from the boys basketball season The Cardinals of East Chicago Central look to continue their dominance at home against their conference-mate The East Chicago Cardinals put up a heck of a fight tonight in the 3A Semi State Championship game That was not enough to keep the South Bend St The final score was South Bend 84 to East Chicago 72 We will be live from the Baratto Center this evening – as the West Side Cougars will go to the East Chicago Central Cardinals in a battle between two GLAC foes We’ll have an exciting non-conference matchup to start off our basketball coverage for the week – as the East Chicago Central Cardinals will visit the Lake Central Indians 2024) — State Senator Lonnie Randolph (D-East Chicago) has been sworn in for his fourth term in the Indiana State Senate Senator Randolph released the following statement:   “It is such an honor to continue to serve East Chicago and I am grateful that the people of District 2 have continued faith in me to do so This upcoming session I will continue to be an advocate for every Hoosier in this state and fight for legislation that protects the freedoms of Hoosier families.”  A network of correspondents providing impartial news reports and analysis in 33 languages from locations around the world Up-to-the-minute news and analysis from around the world and in Chicago Hosted by WBEZ's Mary Dixon and NPR's Steve Inskeep Newshour is the award-winning flagship program of the BBC World Service the world’s largest news gathering operation 1A convenes a conversation about the most important issues of our time smart reflection on world news as it’s happening innovators and artists from around the globe with news from Chicago from WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz Reset digs into how the news has moved since you left the house discussing and unpacking the biggest stories and issues in Chicago and beyond right in the heart of the day Fresh Air is a weekday “talk show” that hardly fits the mold Fresh Air Weekend collects the week’s best cultural segments and crafts them together for great weekend listening The show is produced by WHYY and hosted by Terry Gross and features from Chicago and around the world Hosted by WBEZ’s Melba Lara and NPR’s Ailsa Chang A daily take on business and economics news for the rest of us hosted by Michael Barbaro and powered by The New York Times’ journalism 7pm Hour -- A focus on what’s changed here in the U.S since President Trump was inaugurated -- looking at everything from the culture to the shape of the federal government From tariffs to the downsizing of the Department of Education how has Trump made good on his campaign promises From shifting alliances to trade agreements to changes at the U.S we’ll ask how President Trump has altered international relations since January 20 Covering everything about science and technology — from the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies — Science Friday is your source for entertaining and educational stories and activities From their humble beginnings on Chicago’s radio airwaves to their evolution through television and today’s streaming platforms "Stories Without End" unpacks how soap operas have shaped popular culture and told intergenerational stories that continue to resonate a new theme and a variety of stories on that theme Sound Opinions is hosted by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot In-depth interviews with brilliant creators A mix of live performances and interviews from WXPN Philadelphia’s daily program featuring important established and emerging artists Weekly film podcast and radio show from Chicago featuring in-depth reviews The first 50 years of modern advertising was based on hard-sell The next 50 years was persuasion through creativity and media tonnage But as advertising squeezed into the 21 century it was forced to shed its elbowing ways and become a delicate dialogue The goal is no longer to triumph by weight CBC's Under the Influence is hosted by Terry O'Reilly A wrap up of the week's news and a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics Have a laugh and test your news knowledge while figuring out what's real and what we've made up It's Been a Minute features people in the culture who deserve your attention Plus weekly wraps of the news with journalists in the know Exploring the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world's greatest thinkers A radio journal of news and culture produced from a Latino perspective and offbeat features from Chicago and around the world with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior shape our choices and direct our relationships Your guide to examining how the media sausage is made Important ideas and practical advice: Code Switch features fearless and much-needed conversations about race—and Life Kit offers practical advice on things in life no one prepared you for Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX Reveal is public radio’s first one-hour radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting A weekly program presented by the New Yorker magazine’s editor killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly show that straps audiences into an audio rollercoaster Radiolab is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser A scence from the annual Mexican Independence Day Parade in East Chicago The parade started in 1924 and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this Sunday Debra Bolaños remembers her parents outfitting her in traditional Mexican outfits — white blouses with silk and beat embroidery — to celebrate a big occasion “My mom would dress me up and put me in the parade … There were so many floats and horses and people were coming from all over,” Bolaños or the Mexican Independence Parade in East Chicago a small city just just over the Illinois-Indiana stateline This Sunday, East Chicago will mark the parade’s 100th anniversary in a community steeped in Latino history. Mexican Independence Day is on Monday and there also will be celebrations in Chicago this weekend The “El Popular” parade float decorated for Mexican Independence Day in 1928 selling his Mexican chorizo and other food products that are sold throughout the Midwest Photo courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society Fiestas Patrias will kick off just down the street from Bolaños’ house which she decorates every year with the red white and green colors of the Mexican flag “There’s a lot of pride in the Mexican community and while many people have left the city many come back for that weekend,” Bolaños said a curator at the Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis calls the parade the “largest and oldest Latino tradition in the entire state.” The author of Hoosier Latinos Service and Success describes East Chicago and the Indiana Harbor as “the epicenter of Latino history in Indiana.” like many of its neighbors along the southern coast of Lake Michigan And many Mexicans arrived looking for work in the mills particularly during the Mexican Revolution East Chicago’s Mexican population grew to 2,000 to 3,000 people “A lot of people were just passing through due to work and a variety of other reasons,” Martinez-LeGrand “A lot of people did stay and raised families and a lot of those kids grew up to be great and wonderful people and have contributed greatly to the state of Indiana.” Over the decades, East Chicago continued to attract Mexicans looking for work at the mills, as well as Black southerners and later Puero Ricans. At its peak, East Chicago’s population was close to more than 58,000 in 1960 which includes Puerto Ricans and people from countries other than Mexico started off as three different Mexican organizations that came together in 1924 to celebrate their culture – and to fight racism The groups merged together “in a call to action because they were deporting people of Mexican descent here in East Chicago,” said UBM President Marino Solorio “They were not going to stand for it and needed to come together.” Solorio has watched that same scenario playing out again when then-presidential candidate and current Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his supporters called for mass deportations of illegal immigrants East Chicago leaders passed an ordinance making it essentially a sanctuary city Indiana’s Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita sued the city earlier this year over that ordinance but reversed course when East Chicago rescinded the ordinance Solorio said today’s generation — whether or not they live in East Chicago – need to appreciate and celebrate the sacrifices of earlier generations “Our new calling [is] to make sure that these traditions and the cultural awareness is happening on a daily basis,” Solorio said “I see a lot of kids who are second or third generations who don’t know Spanish We have a calling to action that this is going to outlast this generation and move on to the next generation.” Class and Communities Team and Sunday anchor Office: (219) 809-0445 | On-Air Line: (219) 861-1632 | ric@wimsradio.com 12/Columbus Drive beginning on or after Wednesday There will be alternating lane closures on U.S 20 through mid-September for a roadway resurfacing and ADA ramp replacement project Short-term intersection closures will be in place as needed through this area as well INDOT encourages drivers to allow extra time when driving through this area and follow traffic directions carefully exercise caution and drive distraction-free through all work zones There's been a lot of talk about steel production over the past week with President Biden blocking the purchase of US steel by a Japanese company Steel making has always been the bread and butter industry in Northwest Indiana It's what attracted thousands of immigrants to the city of East Chicago A new book details the city's rough and tumble history and what made it a beacon for those coming near and far It may not get much more exciting than this as we will have two of the Region’s most talented and successful teams in 2024-25 in a highly anticipated matchup at the Baratto Center – as 21st Century will visit East Chicago Central We are happy to announce that the School City of East Chicago (SCEC) is a National School Boards Association (NSBA) 2025 Magna Award winner SCEC was recognized for its commitment to innovation in the 30th annual awards program SCEC is one of 15 winners — three Grand Prize winners and 12 Silver Award winners — across the nation receiving this honor the Magna Awards has a long history of recognizing exemplary school district programs The 2025 awards program recognizes district programs that solved a challenge with creativity and out-of-the-box strategies Members of the NSBA Board of Directors Awards Committee selected the winners from district submissions This honor was awarded to us in recognition of our Student Support Teams at SCEC Our Student Support Teams at SCEC are dedicated to ensuring every student receives the guidance and resources they need to thrive By analyzing both academic and social emotional data these teams identify at-risk students and create support plans to help them succeed Their collaborative approach ensures that students receive personalized interventions fostering both academic growth and emotional well-being “The Magna Awards celebrate the incredible innovation and leadership of school districts that are finding creative solutions to complex challenges,” said Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs “This year’s winners demonstrate the profound impact that visionary school boards and educators can have on their communities from expanding mental health services to promoting college access and supporting students with autism We are honored to showcase their outstanding work and hope they inspire others to think boldly in support of student success." The School City of East Chicago and the other winners will be highlighted in the April issue of ASBJ Restoration work on one of East Chicago’s oldest, and, in its heyday most beautiful buildings is progressing rapidly sits in the heart of the city directly across from Unity Plaza it features an ornately carved façade with a variety of artwork and insignias – including the namesake “L Levin.” It has played host to a number of businesses over the years but the restoration work will see it transformed into a new community gathering place: a banquet hall Korellis is one of the primary contractors that has performed work on the building also provides masonry and concrete restoration services "We worked with the City of East Chicago, and they let us close some parking spots around the building to use for our equipment," Leo Artuso "We were able to set up our crane right there on the main road That allowed us to safely hoist all the roof tear-off down from there and move our materials up there." The company has done extensive work on historical buildings in the Region but the Levin building being embedded in the middle of a block on one of East Chicago’s main roads as well as the building’s advanced age and design quirks Many on the Korellis crew did not realize just how much history the building has until they got the roof and started tearing off the old material “There were multiple layers of hot roof on the building that were so old that they just crumbled when we started tearing it off,” Joel Johnson “It was so deteriorated that it was basically like shoveling dirt Normally you can cut that stuff up and pull it apart in chunks and throw it in a scrap box.” always looking to stay on the leading edge of tools and technology for its crews had the tools to help make the process a lot smoother “Korellis isn’t afraid to spend a little to make the job safer and easier,” Johnson said that we were able to use to shovel a lot of that dirt and debris.” made him reflect on the achievements of the roofers who came before him – the ones who laid down a roof that remained strong enough to safely work on around a century later “I think about the challenges those men dealt with when they were working on something like that,” he said challenging job even with the tools we have – and they didn’t have those back then.” With Korellis’ leg of the restoration work wrapped up the team is excited to see the Levin building once it is finished "The Levin building is something you're proud to work on To learn more about Korellis and to see a portfolio of its work, visit korellis.com Our jam-packed night finishes off with the Chesterton Trojans taking on the Lake Central Indians in a DAC clash as the Bearcats host the River Forest Ingots in some Tuesday night baseball action Crown Point starts the week at home against the Portage Indians as the two square off in a conference baseball matchup Our jam-packed night finishes off with the Chesterton Trojans taking on the Lake Central.. as the Bearcats host the River Forest Ingots in.. as this matchup between Whiting and Wheeler makes.. A pair of state-ranked softball teams will square off on the Region Sports Network... The LC softball squad looks to continue its hot start to the season as.. A rematch of the 2024 Semi-State is on our hands Take a look at the local selections for this Summer's 2025 North-South All-Star game Here is the 1st Team All-Area from the 2024 football season Here is the 2nd Team All-Area from the 2024 football season Here are the honorable mentions for the 2024 RSN All-Area team for this past.. East Chicago Washington graduate Junior Bridgeman drives against UCLA in the 1975 NCAA tournament semifinals in San Diego East Chicago Wasthington’s 1971 team autographed a team photo Basketball star and billionaire Ulysses "Junior" Bridgeman died Tuesday at the age of 71 The former East Chicago Washington star and Milwaukee Bucks owner had a medical emergency at a fundraising event in Louisville, Kentucky, the Louisville-Courier Journal reported The East Chicago school board held a moment of silence at its meeting Tuesday in honor of Bridgeman "A sudden death is not an easy situation that a family goes through," School City of East Chicago Vice President Diane Smith said before asking the audience to pray "We are shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Bucks legend and owner Junior Bridgeman," the Milwaukee Bucks said via press release "We send our deepest condolences to his family Bridgeman became a star for the Senators basketball program leading the team to an unbeaten season and state championship in 1971 The team is widely considered one of the best in Indiana basketball history Bridgeman played college basketball at Louisville He won the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year award twice and led the Cardinals to the 1975 Final Four Bridgeman was a first round pick in the 1975 NBA Draft and enjoyed an 12-year career in the NBA with the Bucks and Clippers He is one of only a handful of former athletes to become billionaires Bridgeman initially made his wealth by owning Wendy's and Chili's franchises He would go on to buy Ebony and Jet magazines in 2020 and Bridgeman is one of the first millionaires to hail from East Chicago Take a look back at a wild week of sectional play with all The Times' coverage from the opening rounds of the postseason “We weren’t going home without a net,” Sam Wellman said Portage’s senior class knows what basketball means to the city it gave the Indians their first sectional title in 24 years “Man I’m just so proud of all these guys – from the guys who didn’t touch the floor to the guys who were on it Every last one of them has something to do with this,” EC Central coach Alaa Mroueh said There were seven sectional finals Saturday night featuring local teams looking to punch their ticket to the regional round 21st Century found its energy late in the game Friday and it paid dividends as the Cougars will play for the chance to win their fourth straight sectional title Saturday Though Merrillville recorded five regular season wins the Pirates’ fight allowed them to secure a spot in the 4A Sectional 2 championship game on Saturday night The Indians will return to the sectional championship for the first time since 2022 after a win over Chesterton Friday night Hebron held off a late Boone Grove run thanks in part to a clutch Spencer Wynsma 3-pointer to advance to the sectional title game There were 14 sectional semifinals Friday night featuring local teams looking to punch their ticket to sectional finals Mustangs coach Kevin Duzan was ready to field a roster made entirely of upperclassmen before teammates vouched for Miller — a freshman Brian Jackson was the go-to guy Westville coach Kyle Sonaty expected routinely finishing in the paint to score 17 points The 2025 IHSAA boys basketball sectionals are underway Teams across Northwest Indiana are vying for spots in the sectional semifinals When West Side coach Chris Buggs was seeking a player to fill the point guard position East Chicago pulled away from an upset-minded Griffith side to win its sectional opener The 2025 IHSAA boys basketball playoffs tipped off on Tuesday with 11 sectional games featuring local teams Portage played Merrillville to advance to the regional round 21st Century played Andrean and Boone Grove played host Hebron for trips to a sectional championship game Griffith and East Chicago Central faced off Tuesday to tip off boys basketball postseason action Kouts faced off with Marquette Catholic and Tri-Township played Westville in sectional games Wednesday High School Sports Extra - Portage Beats Chesterton En Route to Their First Sectional Title Since 2001 This edition of High School Sports Ext… asks East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera about their gym facility at the police station East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera gives U.S a tour of the intel center at the East Chicago police station East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera chats with U.S before the start of a tour of the East Chicago police station learns about the East Chicago police station from East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera goes for a ride-along with East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera EAST CHICAGO — Technology upgrades were likely coming to at least eight Region police departments this year after last month's federal budget cut state and local law enforcement programs those upgrades are unlikely to happen on the government's dime met with East Chicago police chief Jose Rivera Tuesday afternoon to tour the police station and ride around town to learn more about the technology law enforcement in the city was utilizing and to see firsthand how a recent slash to a particular line item of the federal budget could impact police departments in the 3rd-term Congressman's district The visit came a month after Republican President Donald Trump signed House Bill 1968 into law following approval from the Republican-controlled House and Senate The bill keeps the federal government funded — and open — through the end of September Mrvan, who voted against the resolution, previously called it "a legislative tragedy for Northwest Indiana that will strip away specific funding for public safety and economic development." He had applied for funding for specific projects at eight area police departments including a $150,000 grant that would allow the East Chicago Police Department to purchase body-worn cameras for its officers Other proposed projects included nearly $2.8 million in federal funding to replace or upgrade radios and radio equipment and improve overall communication at the Crown Point, Dyer, Griffith, Schererville and Valparaiso police departments, according to Mrvan's office Mrvan had also requested a total of $888,000 for the LaPorte and Hobart police departments for "equipment and technology" upgrades and for body cameras But last month's continuing resolution cut spending for state and local law enforcement programs by removing projects earmarked to go to various police departments including the eight proposed projects in Northwest Indiana "The House majority has made Northwest Indiana less safe," Mrvan said in a speech on the House floor. "It is shameful that we have misled our local law enforcement agencies." Rivera stopped short Tuesday of saying his department has felt misled by lawmakers in Washington but said the project would have filled a need when it comes to police technology in his city "Something like body camera footage is something that communities all over the country want their officers to have but what they don't realize is the cost that it entails," Rivera said "And I just think it's unfair to put that cost on the taxpayers here in the City of East Chicago." Rivera has credited his department's cutting-edge technology with being the driving factor in the city's remarkable homicide decline and 100% homicide solve rate in 2024. Mrvan saw the city's ShotSpotter gunshot detection software mobile cameras and the approximately 850 cameras citywide that have acted as proven crime deterrents East Chicago's four homicides in 2024 marked a 69% drop over a four-year period and the lowest in at least 12 years. Detectives "solved and charged" suspects in all four alleged killings. "What (Chief Rivera) and the City of East Chicago is doing, it's a safer community with less manpower and more emphasis on technology, which makes the community safer (and) makes the parks safer," Mrvan said. "What I want to do as a member of Congress is make sure we deliver more resources to the City of East Chicago and chiefs throughout the district so that we can have a safer community." Rivera told Mrvan the department will also need to replace its radios by 2027, a $500,000 initiative. Both men hope next year's federal budget will allow for it. If it's anything like the budget resolution approved last month, it likely won't. "Communities like ourselves here in East Chicago, we rely on that type of funding," Rivera said. "Because without that type of funding, we have to now turn to the taxpayers, and the taxpayers are already taxed enough. So now, we're not only asking them to fund our department with their tax money, but now, to fund programs that can be funded by the federal government instead." Mrvan said in his role as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, he'll continue to fight for the same kinds of funding local police departments will miss out on this year. Mrvan is also on the subcommittee on commerce, justice, science and related agencies. "That's something that I'm going to fight for," Mrvan said. "The (House and Senate) majority did not make public safety a priority when they stripped those types of grants or funding that was going back to local law enforcement. That's why I'm going to keep fighting for it." Members of the swim team toss some dirt at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new aquatics center at Griffith High School. Students from Beiriger Elementary School prepare to toss some dirt at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new aquatics center at Griffith High School. Swim team coach Rob Keene speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new aquatics center at Griffith High School. Indiana University President Pamela Whitten speaks during a ribbon cutting for the new Center for Urban and Regional Excellence’s (CURE) new campus-community space. Center for Urban and Regional Excellence’s (CURE) Director Ellen Szarleta cuts the ribbon for the new campus-community space at Indiana University Northwest. She is joined by Indiana University Vice President for Regional Campuses and Online Education Ken Iwama (from left), Interim Chancellor Vicki Roman-Lagunas, Indiana University President Pamela Whitten and Gary Mayor Eddie Melton. Gary Mayor Eddie Melton speaks during a ribbon cutting for the new Center for Urban and Regional Excellence’s (CURE) new campus-community space. Indiana University President Pamela Whitten, right, chats with Holistic Evolution Founder and CEO Esther Lewis at the Center for Urban and Regional Excellence’s (CURE) new campus-community space. Lynn Barbee has created a Facebook page for her cause, “Let My People Sit,” where she compiles research articles about this topic. “So a state legislative committee will have a quick place to go for resources,” she said. “It's unfortunate there even has to be a law since taking care of employees this way just makes sense,” Lynn Barbee said. “Our workforce is getting older and people need to work longer, but it's not just the older ones who have issues.” Lynn Barbee is trying to raise awareness for allowing workers to sit on their job, she works at Home Depot where she has a chair next to her station. The two guns raffled off Tuesday were valued at a total of approximately $1,500, Starkey said. The fundraiser was the organization's first-ever gun raffle. Its leaders had seen similar raffles before and thought auctioning off two firearms would be a good way to raise money. People from several groups, including Democrats for Dyer and the local chapters of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Indivisible, gathered Tuesday to share their displeasure. "They could've picked a different gun," said Anne Turner, the team lead for Northwest Indiana's chapter of Moms Demand Action. Bryon Mesarch (right) is joined by other members of the grassroots Merrillville Change Agency at the Merrillville Town Council's April 8 meeting. Robert Buggs speaking to the Gary School Board on Thursday during a public hearing regarding his removal from the Gary Public Library Board. McCullough Academy staff and students returned back to their school building on Tuesday, nearly three weeks after an EF-1 tornado damaged part of the building's roof and forced classes to temporarily relocate to the Gary Area Career Center. Savannah Bananas founder Jesse Cole speaks to students from Hobart High School and other schools across Indiana on Thursday as part of a virtual discussion hosted by the STARTedUP Foundation. On April 9 the NWI Food Council hosted a screening and panel discussion centered around a new documentary, "Food, Insecure," to explain how food insecurity and the "benefits cliff" applies within the Region. Becca Tuholski (second from left), the moderator for the event, is pictured with the panelists (from left to right) Veronica Jalomo, Ryan Elinkowski, Jen Trowbridge and Tricia Sheaks. “We have sophisticated systems in place, but we’re still unable to meet everyone’s needs,” said panel speaker Ryan Elinkowski, CEO of Meals on Wheels Northwest Indiana. Hebron's Addison Toczek can't quite get to a Highland fly ball on Friday in Hebron. Hebron's Macey Siminski takes over pitching duties on Friday in Hebron. Highland's Jordan Steele connects for a triple against Hebron on Friday in Hebron. Hagrid's Hope members, from left, Libby Jaskolski, Jennifer Good, James Shultz and Kate Schlobohm work to find homes for rescued kittens and cats. Hagrid's Hope member James Shultz wrangles a pair of kittens at the Portage Pet Supply Plus. The organization works to find homes for rescued kittens and cats. Hagrid's Hope member James Shultz wrangles a trio of kittens at the Portage Pet Supply Plus. The organization works to find homes for rescued kittens and cats. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. U.S. Congressman Frank Mrvan tours East Chicago Police Department with Police Chief Jose Rivera Indiana State Police was called out to the property damage crash near mile marker 33.1 between County Line Road and U.S. Highway 421 at approx… The crash occurred in the 3900 block of Elm Street, according to the coroner's office. Police had not shared details of the crash as of Sunday… "If someone is requesting immediate payment as a requirement for a jail release, please ignore the request and contact law enforcement," Marti… A hearing for prosecutors to present evidence against Donald Johnson was again delayed because he had not hired legal counsel. State prosecuto… Since its second deployment in April, the Indiana National Guard reported it had 559 interactions at the southern border as of Wednesday. The city's Indiana Harbor section had already seen multiple shootings in 2025, two of them fatal, in what has been a busy year so far for the area. James LaCoursiere Jr. toured the Munster memorial and spent Wednesday evening at American Legion Post 20 in Crown Point for a meet and greet f… Eric Tyner, 23, was wanted in Illinois for kidnapping and was charged in Indiana on Sunday with criminal confinement, resisting law enforcemen… The Highland Democrat plans to participate in three community forums at locations in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties. U.S. Congressman Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, right, asks East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera about their gym facility at the police station. East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera gives U.S. Congressman Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, a tour of the intel center at the East Chicago police station. East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera chats with U.S. Congressman Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, before the start of a tour of the East Chicago police station. U.S. Congressman Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, learns about the East Chicago police station from East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera. U.S. Congressman Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, goes for a ride-along with East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account. Eric Tyner, 23, was wanted in Illinois for kidnapping and was charged in Indiana on Sunday with criminal confinement, resisting law enforcement and reckless driving, online court records show. EAST CHICAGO — Police arrested Thursday morning an East Chicago man wanted in Illinois and Indiana for separate offenses. In a social media post, the East Chicago Police Department said it executed two Indiana search warrants at East Chicago addresses with assistance from the Northwest Regional SWAT Team at approximately 6 a.m. Thursday. Tyner was taken into custody without incident on a traffic stop, police said. The department has served six search warrants in just over a month, it said, and has taken "several" suspects into custody while recovering multiple weapons. "This is a message that we will not tolerate this nonsense in our city," the department said. "We're also targeting the landlords who rent out houses and apartments to these criminals by enforcing our nuisance property ordinance. Any property owner in violation of our nuisance property ordinance faces a fine ranging from $2,500 to $7,500." In a news release Wednesday, the Indiana State Police said its criminal investigations section at the Lowell Post received tips that Aurenz ha… Frank J. Mrvan previously called the budget proposal "a legislative tragedy for Northwest Indiana that will strip away specific funding for pu… The Lake County Coroner's Office identified the deceased as 34-year-old Marcus Williams, of Gary, who was pronounced dead at the scene by inve… Pinwheels are like children. They're bright, simple and carefree. And they're a national symbol of Childhood Abuse Prevention Month, which tak… The deadly crash occurred at the intersection of 181st Avenue and Georgia Street in Lowell before 11 p.m. Friday, officials said. EAST CHICAGO — A Friday-morning shooting has left a male victim dead, East Chicago police said, and a suspect is at-large. Police responded to 3701 Dahlia St. at approximately 11:16 a.m. Friday to reports of shots fired. The city's gunshot detection system, Shot Spotter, recorded eight rounds that had been fired in the area, the department said in a news release. Responding officers located the male victim unresponsive in the area of 3804 Erie Court and Commonwealth Avenue, about 100 feet from the initial response location. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by medics. East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera confirmed to the Times that a suspect is at-large connected to the shooting. The Lake County Prosecutor's Homicide Task Force, Lake County Sheriff's Department Crime Scene Investigators and the Lake County Coroner's Office were each called out to the scene. The victim's identity has not been shared. Westville's Brian Jackson rolls in for two on Wednesday in Kouts. Westville's Dillon Walpole hits two over Tri-Township's Ethan Dailey on Wednesday in Kouts. Westville's Dillon Walpole scoops in two on Wednesday in Kouts. Marquette Catholic's Vaughn Rael-Kludt jumps high for a pass on Wednesday in Kouts. Kouts' Lucas Kleckner tries a shot over Marquette Catholic's Colson Dobre on Wednesday in Kouts. Kouts' Eli Harper is fouled by Marquette Catholic's Colson Dobre on Wednesday in Kouts. East Chicago Central's Keontaye Bell gets orders from his coach Jeremiah Ochoa on Tuesday in East Chicago. East Chicago Central's Dominique Murphy Jr. and Griffith's Nathan Visak scramble for the ball on Tuesday in East Chicago. Valparaiso Creative Center Executive Director Jessica Corral poses with donor plaque inside the new Valpo Creates Center, which will be opened at a public event Thursday. Valparaiso Creative Center Executive Director Jessica Corral poses outside the new Valpo Creates Center which will be opened at a public event Thursday. Edison Elementary School principal Adam White hands out literature to a parents on the possible consequence of federal funding cuts. The effort was part of the "Protect Our Kids" day of action organized by teachers across Hammond schools on Thursday. School City of Hobart Superintendent Peggy Buffington speaks to residents during an informational session about the district's operating referendum. Voters will decide on May 6 whether to renew the measure for another eight years. Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott, Jr. delivers his 2025 State of the City address at an event held by the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce at Dynasty Banquets on Calumet Avenue. The Indiana Dunes Visitor Center is about to undergo a major overhaul. The old exhibition room will be turned into an expanded gift shop and new exhibits will be installed in the lobby. Gary Mayor Eddie Melton presents to an enthusiastic crowd at St. Timothy Community Church about Gary's proposal for a new Lake County convention center. Portage fans rush the court after their team's victory over Merrillville on Saturday in Valparaiso. Merrillville's Josiah Jones guards Portage's Samuel Wellman on Saturday in Valparaiso. Portage's Garrett Clark loses the ball to Merrillville's Jalen McAlister on Saturday in Valparaiso. Merrillville's Cayden Thompson shoots over Portage's O'Mari Evens on Saturday in Valparaiso. Boone Grove's Jack Stevens hits for a pair on Friday in Hebron. Boone Grove's Mark Rowland gets jammed up by Hebron's Spencer Spinks and Brody Hale on Friday in Hebron. Hebron's Spencer Wynsma pulls up to hit two on Friday in Hebron. 21st Century's Lemetrius Williams guards Andrean's James Finley on Friday in Hebron. Andrean's Jerry Triplett makes the shot and is fouled in the process on Friday in Hebron. Andrean's Paul Gilvydis pulls down a rebound on Friday in Hebron. The Cypress Log Cabin has been transformed into a rental by a new company, In the Dunes, which is now doing rentals inside Indiana Dunes National Park. "(She was) clearly confused and disoriented, not appropriately dressed and carrying two pillows from her house," police said. Adam Taylor, 45, admitted in November he sent at least four videos to a group chat that depicted minors engaging in sexually explicit acts — s… The 70-year-old man was last seen Sept. 12 at the Portage Walmart store, Porter County police said. The circumstances that led to the woman's death are under investigation, though police believe it to have been an accident with no evidence of… Hebron Volunteer Fire Department Chief Chad Franzman said the fire will likely be under investigation for "quite some time," but declined to c… In a Facebook post Saturday afternoon, the Cedar Lake Fire Department said preliminary investigation suggests a EF0-EF1 tornado did touchdown … Marino Solorio is the city’s parks director and interim planning director. The city’s proximity to Chicago, just minutes away, is a huge draw. I’m excited about the trajectory, and I’m excited about the potential, and I’m excited about the city laying out what it needs to be ready for that.”— Marino Solorio, City of East Chicago“This proximity to Chicago and that market makes East Chicago a very strategic location for industry,” with companies crossing the state line to operate in Indiana, he said. “Taxes have really been one big thing that has allowed a lot of new investment,” he said. “We are pretty much an industrial city with remnants of the industrial revolution,” Solorio said. “A lot of land that used to be zoned and used as industrial is really primed for the picking at this point.” 25,701Estimated population2023 Population Estimates Program U.S. Census Bureau$84,900Median value of owner-occupied housing unitsJuly 2018-2022 U.S. Census Bureau$39,434Estimated median household income2018-2022 U.S. Census BureauAutomation and other forces that have affected the nation have had an impact in East Chicago The city has seen a decline in employment in those industries since the city was founded in 1893 Solorio was city planner before he was named parks director “The city is now open for business,” he said “Brownfields are being redeveloped in the city.” the year Chicago held the World’s Columbian Exposition to celebrate 400 years — 401 technically; the event was delayed a year — since Christopher Columbus opened the Americas to European exploration and settlement steel and the railroads were king in East Chicago with the eastern half known as Indiana Harbor or “the Harbor,” as many former residents fondly refer to their childhood home The divided city was known as the Twin Cities we kind of strategically looked at all the properties that are brownfields,” Solorio said “We’ve had good success stories on getting them reestablished and reinvested in “We have land that is zoned accordingly for a lot of these light industrial facilities that are looking to move onto a better tax climate.” president and CEO of the Lake County Economic Alliance knows a thing or two about those brownfields from his time working in U.S “The Environmental Protection Agency is stepping up in the city and cleaning up some of those Superfund sites Some developers are remediating sites on their own “We just got off the phone five minutes ago with a small family-owned business that had purchased a warehouse in East Chicago and they did some remediation themselves,” he said “There’s definitely an ongoing process of the market looking at the properties that are well within their price range and the remediation being affordable on top of the property itself.” “And then you have the government stepping in on some of the larger properties that may be less affordable for businesses to remediate,” Salatas said The site of a former lead plant is one of those problematic areas Pollution from that plant over the decades led to the closing of Carrie Gosch Elementary School and construction of a new building as well as cleaning up nearby residential properties “I got to experience that firsthand when Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson visited East Chicago,” Salatas said as well as several EPA meetings focused on the situation “Some of the stories coming out of that area as far as the effects on the citizens were very heart-wrenching.” The process is much more difficult when residential properties are involved in remediation “Their kids are playing outside in the yards unknowingly picking up those contaminants,” Salatas said “It is a lot easier when you’re dealing with an industrial property and it becomes a lot more difficult to disturb those contaminants because you’ve got One of East Chicago’s selling points is similar to those of Hammond and Gary “I would say there’s probably a little more industrial properties available in East Chicago than some of its neighboring communities,” Salatas said “That’s not to say that Hammond and Gary do not have their industrial sites There’s certainly plenty of interest in those locations as well,” he said Salatas sees warehousing and distribution facilities as a major growth area in Northwest Indiana with particular interest in East Chicago because of its proximity to Chicago and the heavy transportation network president and CEO of the Northwest Indiana Forum “As we’re talking with developers and brokers across the Region cargo continues to come up as an opportunity,” she said Ennis is optimistic about the city’s future “They’ve done some really interesting things over the last few years and have cleaned up a lot of things,” she said “We’re seeing more people excited about investing in East Chicago.” Powers Health is one of those investors. In 2022, the former Community Healthcare System invested $2.7 millionin St. Catherine Hospital. The renovation included a 36-bed intermediate care unit and updated emergency department The city also has invested in quality of place “They’ve done some good things as far as housing and driving some peacemaking and economic change in the downtowns,” she said “It’s fun to see the change that’s happening there.” It helps that the crime rate has fallen dramatically since 2021 — down 34%, according to City-Data.com “I think it has helped that crime has been down for 13 years in a row so the stigma that East Chicago is a crime-ridden city is really kind of dissipating,” Solorio said The city has been investing in public safety said Mayor Anthony Copeland in his annual State of the City address earlier in 2024 East Chicago police have logged major crime reductions,” he said in a statement and year-over-year homicides were reduced by 50 percent Thanks to staff and crime-fighting strategies four of the five homicide cases were solved well above the national rate for murders.” East Chicago hired a dozen new officers and doubled the staff of working K-9s in 2023 The department also implemented a paid internship program for college students focusing on criminal justice to work part time in the city jail “Businesses nowadays don’t just look at the piece of property where they’re going to move; they look at the community that they’re moving into,” he said That sentiment received some criticism from residents who thought that investing in parks and “dilapidated downtowns” is a waste of money “The city took on the developer role in investing in these places where normally the market wouldn’t necessarily point that direction,” Solorio said He said market studies most likely would say investing in the two downtowns is a waste of money But city planners are optimistic that their efforts will pay off which are millions and millions of dollars in roads and sidewalks and facade programs and park innovations and facility renovations just those different things have added a lot,” he said “We’ve kind of become the catalyst to begin to change the appearance and really the marketability of the city.” Companies interested in moving to the city want employees to have a good place to live there are nice parts where the workers can gravitate towards or want to live close to home,’” Solorio said and they’re seeing that East Chicago is appealing.” The city has invested $8 million in its parks over four years the parks were in complete disarray,” Solorio said playing fields and shelters were in complete disarray The city had won $300,000 from a lawsuit and wanted to do something with it in the parks It was very rare that families would be showing up it was just it was horrible,” Solorio said “so I took it upon myself to tell the mayor $300,000 is not going to do what you need in these parks.” “The locations were good; the bones of it were good; it’s just that they really needed a lot of help,” he said “We focused our attention to the big parks where the most people were visiting,” Solorio said we painted the signs to give the parks identity We put in fitness equipment in the major parks.” Spending that much money on parks came with criticism especially during the first town hall meeting to discuss the plan Others thought the money should be spent on roads and infrastructure “We were getting a lot of flak,” Solorio said “The argument we kept making was this is an investment to the future to the neighborhoods’ real estate values It’s something that is going to affect you immediately But after the first new playground was inaugurated residents liked what they saw and wanted the same attention to their own neighborhood park “I don’t think that 1,000% would be even close to what we get now.” “They saw that crime was going down,” Solorio said “They saw their real estate values were going up that the kids were having a space to be able to safely recreate and do things The adults were able to go on trails and bike and walk I believe that that was one of the most important investments that the mayor could have made in this city to really make a difference,” Solorio said “If you ask neighboring cities and neighboring residents … they’re always going to ask ‘Why are East Chicago roads this good?’” Solorio said “People that have visited the city will tell you the city is always under construction,” Solorio said “It’s putting pressure on neighboring cities to raise their game.” East Chicago is digging deep during road construction we’re not just putting makeup on a pig,” he said “If a road needs full infrastructure improvement the city is taking the tedious task of going down all the way to the bottom The city uses Redevelopment Commission funds Ameristar Casino tax revenue and Community Crossing grants to pay for this road work The city is also replacing lead water lines in neighborhoods That leaves just 30 percent for everything else including commercial and parks as well as residential so new residential developments are infill “The majority of the housing stock here is at least 80 to 100 years old,” Solorio said People either love the historic homes or want to tear them down and put up new ones “The city got really aggressive and is demolishing all these vacant properties so that opens up now the real estate markets to be able to build newer homes,” he said People’s tastes have changed over the decades Now they want more than one bathroom along with a two-car garage That means bigger lots than when the city was platted Vacant blocks are being redeveloped with a more 21st century feel At the same time the city is protecting existing neighborhood’s identity to make sure they don’t lose their authenticity Lakeshore Manor is a new $51 million development that offers 206 units for residents 62 and older The two four-story buildings already have a waitlist which is on the corner of 136th and Main streets is a replacement for the demolished John B “Lakeshore Manor is a critical piece of the redevelopment landscape in East Chicago, and we are proud to have partnered on this important housing project for seniors in the community,” said Brian Shelbourne, vice president of originations at Merchants Capital Along with the South Shore Line’s double-track and West Lake Corridor projects transit development districts are being established around train stations These districts act like tax increment financing districts but with the incremental increase in income taxes within the district also going toward infrastructure and related improvements Ennis said East Chicago’s new transit development district could be transformational “It’s an evolving city with static leadership We’ve seen the mayor be very engaged with economic development and trying to attract industry,” she said “I think the opportunities around double tracking and what that means and the economic development around the transit development districts again with continued placemaking and the revitalization that you’ve seen in housing it’s all added to the positive story that we’re seeing around East Chicago.” She hopes those improvements will lead to better quality of life continue to drive some change to help bring more of the community members to higher-paying jobs,” she said Through its Northwest Indiana Works projects the Center of Workforce Innovation plans to help employers and residents alike by addressing barriers to employment through public-private partnerships That includes addressing issues like housing NWI Works identified 58 percent of East Chicago’s population as being in “significant distress” as measured by poverty median income and labor force participation Some 40 percent are below the poverty line and 60 percent have no education beyond high school “It is clear that many residents are not prepared for and/or lack access to better-paying jobs within the Region,” the NWI Works report on East Chicago said set up with revenue from Ameristar Casino since its opening 27 years ago supports nonprofits and grants scholarships Board of Directors President George Weems said the foundation’s work has helped keep life in the city from getting worse “We’ve maintained the people’s quality of life they won’t go any lower than what they already are the foundation has invested $80 million into the community with parents and their children both receiving scholarships in some cases Among the challenges is getting scholarship recipients to return to East Chicago after they’ve completed their education The mix of jobs in East Chicago might be a factor but the proximity to Chicago makes for a short commute Ivy Tech Community College Increasing casino competition could impact revenue for the foundation which collects 1.625 percent of Ameristar’s monthly gaming revenue through a local development agreement approved when the casino began operating But the foundation has enough money set aside to continue operating another 20 years or more even if the casino eventually closes Solorio is optimistic about the city’s future “I think the city is heading in a trajectory of more affluency,” he said the city becoming more pedestrian and biker friendly “The city is a melting pot; I don’t think that’s ever going to change,” he said “The city’s never going to lose its identity in terms of being a melting pot of different cultures He said he thinks of the city as the diamond in the rough just realizing its potential He gives it 10 years to become “the gem where people strive to want to go and want to live.” and I’m excited about the city laying out what it needs to be ready for that,” Solorio said Read more stories from the current issue of Northwest Indiana Business Magazine You must be logged in to post a comment Copyright © 2025 Northwest Indiana Business Magazine | an imprint of Linker Media Group, Inc | Company logos provided by Logo.dev Editors Note: Missing East Chicago teen Isabella Laura Puentez found safe October 9 The family reports that Puentez was last seen in her family’s kitchen at 1:00 a.m wearing grey jogging pants and a black shirt She filled her backpack with a few clothing items before leaving the family home Isabella Laura Puentez is 5-foot-1 and weighs 140 pounds She may be with her 20- year-old boyfriend If you have any information about Puentez’s whereabouts contact East Chicago Police at (219) 391-8400 or the family at (219)333-9737 Firefighters look down from the roof of Burger King in East Chicago Wednesday morning A firefighter sprays water into Burger King in East Chicago Wednesday Firefighters work to put out a fire inside Burger King in East Chicago Wednesday First responders on scene at the Burger King fire in East Chicago Wednesday EAST CHICAGO — First responders extinguished Wednesday morning an early-morning fire inside East Chicago's Burger King The East Chicago fire and police departments responded to the 600 block of West Chicago Avenue at 5:44 a.m. Deputy Chief Marc Escobedo said it appeared to him that the fire may have originated from outside the building and made its way into the dining area People at the scene of the fire said flames and heavy smoke were rising from the building before it was put out Firefighters arrived and climbed onto the building's roof where they were able to knock down the flames and bring the blaze under control The cause of the fire is still under investigation Wednesday's wind accompanied by recent drought conditions was likely a factor The Burger King location is currently closed Video provided in partnership with The Times Most towns in the Region have set official trick-or-treating hours from 5 to 7 p.m Some start an hour earlier or end half an hour later The sheriff's department is asking residents living in the area of County Road 200 South and County Road 1000 West to evacuate their homes as … David Pastrick has transformed the office from all possible angles A man was found dead late Saturday in what officials believe to be a homicide in the city's west side Darren Washington said he wants his big brother to be remembered as a loving man who was always there to help A Portage woman managed to get her car stuck under a one-lane bridge on her way home from a Halloween party Thursday night drove away from the crash with two of his daughters in the car Martino Eldridge allegedly shot a victim multiple times inside a Michigan City residence Police say the victim was one of two people who call…