Region News Source

08/20/2025

Munster Fire Department Responds To Odor Coming From BP Pipelines Finds Sheen Leakage

The Munster Fire Department has responded to multiple calls for an odor investigation on August 19, 2025, in the southwest corner of Cobblestones, according to Munster Fire Officials.

Upon initial investigation of these calls for service, it was determined that the area had BP underground pipelines. The fire department reached out to BP Pipelines to assist with the investigation.

BP responded to a request for assistance from Munster after reports the odor near two inactive BP pipelines. Further investigation identified a sheen, according to BP.

Response crews have set up an absorbent boom to contain and collect the observed sheen and are working with local authorities to determine the source. Air monitoring near the identified sheen has been set up as a precautionary measure. No elevated reading has been detected at this point, BP stated.

BP is asking the public in the immediate area of the response to avoid direct contact with the sheen and to follow the instructions of on-scene response personnel.

“The safety of our responders, the community and the environment remain our highest priority. Updates will be issued as more information becomes available,” BP stated in a release.

08/20/2025

Hammond Hispanic Community Committee of Northern Indiana Announces 22nd Annual Latino Resource Fair

New Location: Hammond Area Career Center, September 27, 2025

Hammond, IN – The Hammond Hispanic Community Committee of Northern Indiana (HHCC) is proud to host its 22nd Annual Latino Resource Fair on Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Hammond Area Career Center, 5727 Sohl Avenue, Hammond, Indiana.

The Latino Resource Fair is a free, family-centered event held during Hispanic Heritage Month that connects families across Northern Indiana with critical services and opportunities. The fair will feature health screenings, college and career resources, informational booths, free haircuts, children’s activities, community giveaways, food, and live entertainment.

“Each year, the Latino Resource Fair brings families, community partners, and service providers together in one place,” said Deborah Treviño, President of HHCC. “It’s more than just a fair—it’s a celebration of culture, community, and connection.”

Call for Vendors

Local organizations, businesses, and service providers are invited to participate as vendors. HHCC is especially seeking health, education, career, financial, and family-focused organizations as well as hands-on providers offering services such as haircuts, nail care, and wellness checks.

Vendors will receive table space, personalized assistance unloading materials, and access to the vendor hospitality suite before the event begins. Interested vendors can register by contacting HHCC at [email protected] or calling 219.804.2108.

Open to the Community

The public is invited to attend free of charge. Families will enjoy a wide range of services and entertainment designed to support education, health, and well-being while celebrating the rich traditions of the Latino community.

About HHCC

The Hammond Hispanic Community Committee of Northern Indiana has served the region for more than 30 years, providing scholarships, educational support, and community programming to uplift Latino families. Through events like the Latino Resource Fair, HHCC continues its mission to build stronger, healthier, and more inclusive communities.

08/20/2025

Former Correctional Officer Charged in Lake County Juvenile Center Trafficking Case

A former correctional officer at the Lake County Juvenile Detention Center has been charged after investigators allege he trafficked contraband, including a cell phone and a v**e pen containing THC, to juvenile inmates.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Lake Superior Court, Donald Edward Robinson III is accused of providing unauthorized items to detainees between December 2024 and January 2025 while employed at the facility in Crown Point.

Court documents state that the investigation began on January 15, 2025, when officers observed a juvenile using a cell phone in his cell. A search reportedly uncovered both the phone and a v**e pen. The juvenile told staff that Robinson had given him the items. Robinson allegedly admitted to providing the phone but denied supplying the v**e pen.

Detectives later collected the v**e device, which tested positive for THC, a controlled substance. The affidavit also describes a series of interviews with multiple juvenile inmates who claimed Robinson regularly allowed them to use his cell phone in exchange for “keeping the pod cool,” meaning preventing fights and disturbances inside the unit .

Investigators obtained Instagram records showing the juveniles used Robinson’s phone to access social media, post photos from inside the facility, and even make Facetime calls. Court filings indicate that Robinson’s personal phone number appeared in the juveniles’ account records. In addition, his phone was linked to calls made to the mother of one of the detainees while Robinson was on duty .

The investigation also uncovered additional allegations involving other detention officers who may have supplied contraband, accepted money transfers through Cash App, or engaged in improper conduct with juveniles. The affidavit notes that Robinson’s employment at the detention center began in July 2024 and was terminated on January 15, 2025, the day of the incident.

Charges Filed August 15,2025:

Robinson is charged with the following offenses:

• Trafficking with an Inmate – controlled substance or contraband (Felony 5)

• Trafficking with an Inmate – controlled substance or contraband (Felony 5)

• Trafficking with an Inmate – knowingly delivers or carries an article (Misdemeanor A)

08/20/2025

Gary Man Fatally Shot at Local Bar; Suspect Quickly Arrested

A 34-year-old Gary man was fatally shot Tuesday night during an altercation at a local establishment.

Around 9:30 p.m. on August 19, Gary Police officers responded to reports of gunfire at the Thumbs Up Bar, located at 620 S. Lake Street. When officers arrived, they found the victim, identified as Robert Gaskin, 34, of Gary, collapsed just outside the business. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Gary Fire Department EMS.

According to investigators, the suspect entered the bar and briefly exchanged words with Gaskin before opening fire. Witnesses provided officers with a description that led to the suspect being quickly taken into custody nearby. Police believe the shooting was an isolated incident and say there is no ongoing threat to the community.

The Lake County Coroner’s Office responded at 10:02 p.m. and confirmed Gaskin died from gunshot wounds. His death has been ruled a homicide following a forensic autopsy conducted Wednesday at the Lake County Forensic Center in Crown Point.

Multiple agencies are assisting in the investigation, including the Gary Police Department, Gary Fire Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene Investigators, and the Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force. Formal charges against the suspect are expected to be filed.

The Gary Police Department extended their condolences to the victim’s family and thanked community members whose cooperation helped secure a swift arrest.

08/20/2025

California Man Charged in Vizio Cargo Theft Scheme

A California truck driver has been charged in Porter County after investigators say he played a role in a scheme to steal more than half a million dollars’ worth of Vizio televisions.

According to court documents, Lakhwant Singh, 27, of Fresno, California, is charged following an investigation into six shipments picked up from UNIS Warehouse at 6515 Ameriplex Drive, Portage, between December 19 and December 26, 2024. The shipments, bound for Sam’s Club distribution centers in Edwardsville, Illinois; Shakopee, Minnesota; and Oswego, Illinois, never arrived. Instead, investigators say falsified or forged proof-of-delivery documents were submitted while the trailers themselves never entered the facilities.

Investigation Details

The investigation began in January 2025 after Sam’s Club reported undelivered shipments to the contracted broker, GTS Transportation. The shipments had been sub-contracted to a California-based carrier.

• Records show Singh picked up a shipment valued at $58,029.92 on December 19, 2024, in Portage, and his phone tracked to the Edwardsville, Illinois, area but never onto the distribution property. The submitted proof-of-delivery was determined to be falsified.

• Other shipments ranging in value from $82,183.67 to $137,662.16 showed similar patterns, with drivers’ phones pinging near the delivery sites but no record of entry in gate logs or surveillance footage.

• The total reported loss was $594,754.16, according to documentation submitted by Vizio’s insurer.

Investigators also found that trailers were seen on license-plate reader cameras in Illinois but never at the intended destinations. Federal Motor Carrier records later showed the transportation company faced an involuntary revocation of authority in February 2025 after its insurance was canceled. Homeland Security Investigations and Walmart Global Investigations were also reported to be reviewing related thefts in other states.

Charges Filed

Singh faces two felony counts in Porter County:

• Theft (Level 5 Felony) – exerting unauthorized control over Vizio property valued at more than $50,000.

• Conspiracy to Commit Theft (Level 5 Felony) – agreeing with another person to commit theft of property valued at more than $50,000.

Singh was lodged in the Porter County Jail on August 19, 2025.

This case remains under investigation and other charges and arrests may be pending.

08/20/2025

Las Vegas Man Charged with Unauthorized Entry of Vehicle

A Las Vegas man has been charged after police say he unlawfully entered a vehicle outside the Lake County Government Center on Monday afternoon.

According to court documents, on August 18, 2025, around 2:06 p.m., officers responded to a suspicious person complaint near the S2 door of the Lake County Government Center in Crown Point. A Lake County Real Time Operations Center (ROC) operator reported observing a Hispanic male wearing a blue shirt and blue shorts enter an orange Ford Bronco that did not belong to him. The man then exited and stood near planter boxes by the door.

Officers approached the subject, who identified himself as Victor Ramirez, 51. When asked about the vehicle, Ramirez admitted he had not received permission to enter and told officers that “the chatbot in his head” had instructed him to commandeer the vehicle.

Inside the Bronco, officers discovered a container of chocolate milk and a Lake County Jail document, which confirmed Ramirez had been incarcerated on August 17, 2025, and released the following day.

Ramirez was placed under arrest, handcuffed, and transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was booked for unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle .

Charge Filed
• Unauthorized Entry of a Motor Vehicle (Class B Misdemeanor)

Ramirez is currently re-lodged in the Lake County Jail.

08/20/2025

CAPTURED

UPDATE - CAPTURED 8-19-2025

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Seeking 24-Year-Old Whiting Man Wanted for Invasion of Privacy

CROWN POINT — The Lake County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in locating Frank Jesse Senteno, a 24-year-old Whiting man wanted on a charge of invasion of privacy.

Senteno is described as a 6-foot-2 male with hazel eyes and brown hair. At the time of the alert, he weighed approximately 155 pounds. He does not wear glasses or contact lenses.

His last known location was in Whiting, Indiana.

Anyone with information about Senteno’s whereabouts is urged to contact:

• Lake County Sheriff’s Department Warrant Division: (219) 755-3057

• Report A Crime HOT LINE: (800) 750-2746

Do not approach or attempt to apprehend this individual. Contact law enforcement immediately.

08/19/2025

𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 #𝟑 | 𝐔𝐒 𝟐𝟎 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐇 – 𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃/𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐒

The announces amended/additional charges being filed against 41-year-old Shawn Wesly Russell AKISON in connection with the May 8, 2025, serious bodily injury crash (SBI) that occurred at the intersection of US 20 and Fail Road.

Agency detectives and crash reconstructionists have continued to investigate the circumstances of the crash, along with analyzing evidence. Investigators recently received the toxicology test results prompting amended/additional charges being filed through the La Porte County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and La Porte County Circuit Court against AKISON. The amended/additional charges are as follows:

• OWI Causing Catastrophic Injury, L4 Felony
• OWI Causing SBI, L5 Felony
• Criminal Recklessness, L5 Felony
• Criminal Recklessness, L5 Felony
• OWI Endangerment, A-Misdemeanor

AKISON remains housed in the and is being held on a now upgraded $20,000 cash-only bond through Circuit Court.

The crash investigation is ongoing.

Arrests and criminal charges are mere accusations. Every person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

08/19/2025

Press Release From BP Concerning Sheen In The Flooding Overnight

“The Whiting Refinery’s operations were impacted by the significant thunderstorms overnight in Northwest Indiana that led to flooding and severe conditions in the surrounding neighborhoods. Response and operations crews are on-site to manage impacts from these storms.

Materials are being burned in the flares to maintain safe operations. Further, we are aware of reports of odors in the neighboring community and are responding. Due to a sheen on 121st Street in Whiting, the street is closed to traffic and the public between Schrage Ave and Front St. Our crews are also managing this situation.

Whiting Refinery has detailed weather protection plans in place to handle these types of conditions and have been executing those plans from last night through this morning. Our top priority is the safety of our employees, contractors, and the community and the environment. We will continue to monitor weather conditions closely and are prepared to respond as necessary.”

08/19/2025

Flash Flood Warning including Hammond IN, Gary IN and Merrillville IN until 11:30 PM CDT

At 826 PM, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated slow-moving thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Up to 4 inches have been reported thus far near Whiting.

Additional thunderstorms with rainfall rates of 3 to 4 inches per hour will move into the area over the next hour, with additional rainfall amounts up to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. Worsening of flood severity is imminent.

Weather Updates Sponsored By Family Dental Care - Munster

08/19/2025

High-Speed Pursuit in Hammond Leads to Arrest of Wanted Fugitive

Hammond – A late-night police pursuit on Interstate 80 ended with the arrest of a Hammond man wanted on multiple warrants across several states, according to the Indiana State Police. Around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 13, Trooper Aidan Baker observed a silver 1997 Mercury Villager speeding at 96...

08/18/2025

UPDATE - She has been located safe.

🚨 Missing Person Alert 🚨

Lansing Police are asking assistance in locating a missing person, Claudette Harris