Lake County rakes in $3M during three-day tax sale

CROWN POINT | The Lake County commissioners' spring tax sale closed Thursday after raking in $3,046,500 during three days.

Pooling E-911 services likely to soak taxpayers

CROWN POINT | A consolidated E-911 system won't be a toll free call for Lake County taxpayers.

Non-existent EC casino hotel floors are bad luck for Ameristar

CROWN POINT | Ameristar Casino Hotel of East Chicago wants better odds at lower taxes by getting county officials to stop charging for 10 floors of non-existent rooms.

Witnesses testify Juvenile Court move from Gary a blow to poor

CROWN POINT | The outgoing Lake Juvenile Court judge was warned last month she needed permission from her fellow members of the judiciary to close the Gary branch of her child support division.

Lake County commissioners target 13,000 properties for tax sales

CROWN POINT | Lake County commissioners will hold tax sales this spring and summer and oppose any new legislation that would cut into the potential profits they could make.

Lake County pays $8,300 for repairs after coroner's crash

CROWN POINT | A recent traffic accident involving Lake County Coroner Merrilee Frey has cost the county about $8,300 in repairs.

Lake officials keep V-Mad on the job

CROWN POINT | Lake County drainage officials voted Wednesday to maintain two contracts they have with a Lowell-based contractor who has been under fire.

Lake County officials blame financial troubles on municipal overspending

CROWN POINT | Lake officials insist it isn't their fault county government must borrow $15 million so it can spend beyond its means next year.

Lake County attorney wants to void drainage contracts

Lake County Attorney John Dull is now recommending county officials withdraw flood-control contracts held by Kevin Madison, owner of Lowell-based V-Mad Construction.

Contractor may face sanction for bond paperwork mix-up

CROWN POINT | Lake County Attorney John Dull is recommending a construction firm keep two public flood-control contracts it currently holds but be barred from bidding on two future projects because of flawed paperwork it submitted to the county.

Lake County officials say they are credit worthy

CROWN POINT | Lake County officials want to assure the public that county government can handle its debt — even though it already owes creditors more than $100 million and is about to borrow more.

Lake drainage contracts are now bonded

CROWN POINT | Lake County officials have financial guarantees from all contractors currently working flood control projects, as required by state law, a county attorney said.

Lake surveyor and drainage officials berated by candidate

CROWN POINT | Accusations of bid-rigging, official negligence and political smear campaigns broke like a storm Wednesday morning over Lake County drainage board meetings.

State auditors say some numbers don't add up for Lake officials

CROWN POINT | The Indiana State Board of Accounts is scolding some Lake County officials for sloppy bookkeeping and failure to promptly distribute taxes to cities, towns and township government agencies.

GOP candidate demands FBI and State Board of Accounts probes

CROWN POINT | A Republican candidate for Lake County surveyor is now calling for the FBI and the State Board of Accounts to investigate two flood control projects.

Van Til's GOP rival roils Lake drainage meeting

CROWN POINT | Lake drainage officials were hit Wednesday with a torrent of political debate between County Surveyor George Van Til and his opponents.

Lake officials unlikely to change jail doctors

CROWN POINT | A Merrillville physician appears ready to get another year to bring the Lake County Jail back to health.

Defense trying to get Philpot fraud charges dropped before trial

CROWN POINT | A defense lawyer is seeking to have fraud charges dismissed against Lake County Coroner Thomas Philpot on the eve of his federal trial.

Lake officials buy financial advice to solve budget gap

CROWN POINT | Lake County commissioners hired a Merrillville financial adviser Wednesday to study how to fill a potential $15 million hole in county government's 2012 and 2013 budget.