Former region residents cross paths in Oklahoma dog rescue

Former Munster resident Michael Konopasek, who is working as a television news reporter in Oklahoma City, said he and a photographer were following blocks behind the deadly tornado Monday that devastated the suburban community of Moore.

News 9 Reunites Tornado Survivor With Dog

Former Chesterton resident Pam Chandler was reunited with her dog, Abby, after they were separated during the May 20 tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.

Valpo FOP holds fundraiser Saturday to aid organizations

VALPARAISO | Valparaiso Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 76 will host a Nelson Chicken fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Valpo man charged with raping underage girl

VALPARAISO | A 31-year-old local man is charged with raping an underage girl after providing her with alcohol.

County brings in human resources specialist

VALPARAISO | In hopes of getting a better grip on employee issues facing county government, the Porter County Board of Commissioners agreed Tuesday to hire a private firm to conduct a human resource audit.

Flying case of beer results in DUI

VALPARAISO | A Starke County man was arrested Sunday night on a drunk driving charge after a case of beer fell from the hatchback of his vehicle and nearly struck a police car.

Police seek help in identifying man in theft case

VALPARAISO | Police are looking for help in identifying a man who could be linked to the May 7 theft of a wallet from a shopping cart at the local Walmart store.

Motorist accused of pointing gun at bicyclist

PINE TOWNSHIP | A 52-year-old Pine Township man was taken into custody Sunday morning on allegations of pointing a loaded handgun at one of several bicyclists, who he had reportedly told to "get off the road."

Updated criminal code could cost counties

Porter County Chief Probation Officer Stephen Meyer said the county could be left to pick up part of the tab for the first significant changes to the state's criminal code in decades.

Porter could lose $1.6M to Lake's new income tax

VALPARAISO | Porter County stands to lose as much as $1.66 million in income tax revenue when neighboring Lake County implements its own income tax.

Man agrees to 15-year sentence in underage sex case

VALPARAISO | A Center Township man will be sentenced to 15 years behind bars if a judge accepts his plea of guilty to a felony count of sexual misconduct with a minor on allegations of abusing a girl for a period of at least three years.

Crown Point man arrested in Valpo home invasion

VALPARAISO | A 22-year-old Crown Point man was taken into custody early Friday on a charge of breaking into a home in the 200 block of Chestnut Street.

Man says he was attacked in Portage Twp.

PORTAGE TOWNSHIP | A 20-year-old man said he was jumped by three men as he left his home along Rushingwater Drive at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Man claims to fight off three attackers along U.S. 20

PINE TOWNSHIP | A 43-year-old Michigan City man told police he fought off three attackers Wednesday night, including a man with a shotgun, while walking home from bars in Pine Township.

Police: Man arrested after being seen on stolen skateboard

VALPARAISO | Just a few days after smashing a glass door at the Bargain Barn at 815 Calumet Ave. and stealing several skateboards, Charles Dushon O'Connor decided to try out one of the new boards in the city's downtown area, according to police.

Memorial Opera House repair job costs reach $315,000

VALPARAISO | The Porter County Board of Commissioners agreed Tuesday to spend another $90,000 on maintenance at the 120-year-old Memorial Opera House, boosting the total cost of the most recent repair job to $315,000.

Minor injuries in Union Township school bus crash

UNION TOWNSHIP | A few young people suffered what appeared to be minor injuries Wednesday afternoon after a Union Township School Corp. bus failed to yield to a pickup truck and a collision resulted, according to Porter County police.

Union Township approves school referendum; Hebron proposal dies by 4 votes

VALPARAISO | One group broke out in cheers and another fell silent as it was announced Tuesday night that voters in Union Township approved a tax increase for its schools, while a similar proposal died by four votes for Hebron schools.

Hebron school referendum fails by 4 votes

Residents of Boone Township said "No" Tuesday to a referendum seeking a property tax hike to help the Hebron school system make up for state cuts in education funding.

Union Township voters approve referendum

Residents of the Union Township said "Yes" Tuesday to a referendum seeking a property tax hike to help the local school system make up for state cuts in education funding.

Officials close to settling dispute over jail medical plan

VALPARAISO | The Porter County Board of Commissioners and Sheriff Dave Lain appear to be reaching a middle ground in a dispute over health care improvements at the jail.

Commissioners vow support for school safety effort

VALPARAISO | Porter County Commissioner President John Evans threw his support Tuesday behind a request to fund an effort to enhance school safety in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut.

Woman believes she was targeted by fake cop

VALPARAISO | A local woman said she was on her way to work Saturday night when she was pulled over by what appears to have been a man imitating a police officer.

Man shoots dog after it attacks his son

UNION TOWNSHIP | A man told authorities he shot and killed a neighbor's pit bull dog after the animal attacked and injured his son in his fenced-in yard.

Duneland schools collecting less than expected from referendum

CHESTERTON | The Duneland School Corp. expects to collect less money than originally planned from last year's successful tax increase referendum, but the superintendent said there will be no shortfall.

Hebron, Union schools next up to ask voters for more money

Residents of the Union Township and Hebron school districts will go to the polls Tuesday to decide whether to grant property tax increases to help make up for state cuts in education funding.

McCowan fails in first bid to overturn murder conviction

VALPARAISO | Dustin McCowan has failed in his first shot at overturning his 60-year sentence and conviction for murdering former girlfriend Amanda Bach.

No protection for users reporting overdoses

VALPARAISO | Jean Whittemore said when she called to check on her son at 8 p.m. Feb. 19, the woman with him said he had taken a sleeping pill at his father's home in Valparaiso.

Valpo woman dies in one-car crash

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP | A Valparaiso woman died Wednesday morning when her vehicle crossed the center line of southbound Ind. 149 and crashed into a utility pole.

Family hurt in home invasion

PINE TOWNSHIP | Two men burst into a Pine Township home Tuesday morning and attacked a man, his two children and his girlfriend with a crowbar and fists, according to Porter County Sheriff's Department officials.

Two juveniles charged after entering house

PORTER TOWNSHIP | Two juveniles faces charges of illegally entering a home in the 100 block of Springwood Drive shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday.

Burglar flees after truck winds up stuck in the mud

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP | A would-be burglar loaded up a truck with musical equipment Saturday and broke through the fence of a storage site only to flee after the vehicle became stuck in mud, according to county police.

Man accused of battering cop, child

CENTER TOWNSHIP | A 40-year-old man faces numerous charges, including accusations of battering a 6-year-old boy and a Porter County police officer.

Little town of Beverly Shores leads Porter County per-capita debt

The small lakefront community of Beverly Shores has a fraction of the population of the city of Portage, yet is carrying three times the amount of debt per full-time resident, according to online municipal financial reports.

Porter County buying other government debt

VALPARAISO | Porter County Treasurer Mike Bucko did not follow through on a request to loan up to $15.5 million to neighboring Lake County, but he has purchased other municipal debt throughout the region using proceeds from the sale of the county hospital.

Not guilty pleas entered in fatal South Haven hit-and-run

VALPARAISO | An 18-year-old Union Township man pleaded not guilty Friday and asked for a jury trial to address accusations he is responsible for a fatal hit-and-run accident April 6 in South Haven.

Hebron apartments lose tax exempt status

VALPARAISO | A Porter County tax appeal board has pulled the tax exempt status of a Hebron apartment complex, arguing the operators failed to show they qualify for the breaks through their charitable efforts.

Lawyer fuels opposition to U.S. 6 TIF

VALPARAISO | Smiles broke out on the faces of a few County Council members Tuesday when a local attorney specializing in real estate and land use voiced his opinion that tax increment finance districts do not mix well with tax abatements.

Park building caught up in jail dispute

VALPARAISO | It appears the funding for a new park building in the works for 13 years was tied up Tuesday as a result of an ongoing dispute between the county commissioners and sheriff over health care improvements at the jail.

Councilman says Porter County TIF could force new income tax

VALPARAISO | Porter County Councilman Dan Whitten, D-at large, said he believes the proposal to establish a tax increment finance district in the area of the new hospital is unfair to taxpayers and could lead to the need for a new local income tax.

Hebron schools carrying most debt per student

Hebron far outpaces the other six school districts in Porter County when it comes to the amount of debt per student.

McCowan seeking to toss out conviction/sentence

VALPARAISO | A public defender brought in to handle the appeal for convicted murderer Dustin McCowan is seeking to toss out the conviction and/or 60-year sentence because Porter Superior Court Judge Bill Alexa did not step aside after learning about a telephone call with McCowan from the jai…

Hobart man given 50-year max in molest case

VALPARAISO | Just moments after being sentenced to a maximum of 50 years in prison for molesting a young girl over a period of several years, Hobart resident Arthur Gutierrez made hand gestures and mouthed words to the victim's family in the courtroom.

Impact of Porter County's first TIF called into question

VALPARAISO | The Porter County Redevelopment Commission was told Thursday it could reap $8.4 million during the next 20 years from the new hospital alone if a tax increment finance district is created along that portion of the U.S. 6 corridor.

Commissioners seek to dip deeper into hospital interest

VALPARAISO | The Porter County commissioners began a push Tuesday to dip more deeply into the nearly $11 million in interest on the proceeds from the sale of the county hospital six years ago.

Man charged with striking woman with car

VALPARAISO | A 41-year-old man was taken into custody Monday afternoon on allegations of driving his vehicle into a woman.

Purse snatching attempted outside Valparaiso Kmart

VALPARAISO | Police are looking for a teenager accused of attempting to snatch a purse early Monday night from a woman outside of the Kmart store at 2801 Calumet Ave.

McCowan transferred to begin serving 60-year term for murder

VALPARAISO | Less than three weeks after being sentenced to 60 years for murdering his former girlfriend, Dustin McCowan has been transferred to the Pendleton Correctional Facility to begin serving his time.

Five charged in jail disturbance

VALPARAISO | Five inmates are being charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct after threatening to riot and resisting guards orders to disperser earlier this month.

Report highlights prescription drug abuse

VALPARAISO | While the recent rash of heroin-related deaths in Porter County has garnered local attention, there is another problem involving the illegal use of prescription drugs.