The citation in its entirety, as read by Police Chief Tim Richardson:

“The Chesterton Police Department proudly recognizes Det. Cpl. Arwen LaMotte for her exceptional investigative work throughout 2025.

“During the year, Det. Cpl. LaMotte was assigned 11 sex crime cases. Of these, she successfully filed charges in six cases, resulting in 24 high-level felony charges. Her persistence, professionalism, and dedication to victims have been exemplary.

“In April, she investigated a DSC report involving a 13-year-old girl allegedly abused while living at a campground. Despite initial denials from the juvenile and her mother, Det. Cpl. LaMotte pursued leads, located the suspect, and observed the juvenile with him in a tent. Det. Cpl. LaMotte’s investigation results in charges, including three counts of child molesting (Level 1 felony) and one count of child exploitation (Level 4 felony). She also held the mother accountable, filing charges for obstruction of justice (Level 5 felony) and two counts of neglect of a dependent (Level 6 felony).

“During August, while scheduled to be on vacation, she reported to work to investigate related cases involved a 10-year-old girl who disclosed abuse by her father. Her investigation revealed additional allegations of abuse. Charges included four counts of child molesting (Level 3 felony) and one count of incest (Level 4 felony). The father was charged with six counts of child molesting (Level 1 felony) and one count of incest (Level 4 felony).

“Det. Cpl. LaMotte’s efforts, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to justice have brought great credit to the Chesterton Police Department. She consistently demonstrates leadership, initiative, and a commitment to the highest standards of law enforcement, ensuring that every case receives the attention it deserves and that victims’ voices are heard. In recognition of her outstanding investigative work, it is with great pride that we present Det. Cpl. Arwen LaMotte with this Exceptional Service Award.”

Your service is deeply appreciated, Det. Cpl. LaMotte, and your recognition richly deserved! Thank you!

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The Workshop will be held on Tuesday, December 2, 2025 at 5:30p.m. in the EOC Room located in the
lower level of City Hall (100 E. Michigan Blvd., Michigan City, Indiana).

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      The diaconate was established in the early Church in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter six. Deacons primarily serve the poor and needy, participating in ministries like visiting the sick and imprisoned. Additionally, Catholic deacons perform liturgical services, including proclaiming the Gospel at Mass, preaching, performing baptisms and preparing the altar for the celebration of the Eucharist.

      Two men, seminarians Ivan Alatorre, 25, and Alexander Kouris, 27, will be ordained as transitional deacons in anticipation of their ordination to the Catholic priesthood in summer 2025. Before returning to Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit at the beginning of the new academic year, Deacon Alatorre will be assigned to St. Paul Parish in Valparaiso and Deacon Kouris will be assigned to St. James the Less in Highland for ministry this summer.

      The remaining 14 men will be ordained to the permanent diaconate, a ministry that is open to married men, and which supports priestly ministry in Catholic parishes. For their formation to the diaconate, these men completed the Diocese of Gary’s Lay Ecclesial Ministry program with two years of theological and pastoral training in preparation for diaconal ministry. 

The men to be ordained to the permanent diaconate and their assignments are:

• Deacon Anthony Bondi, 46, will be assigned to Nativity of Our Savior Parish in Portage.
• Deacon Albert Burgos, 61, will be assigned to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Hammond.
• Deacon Frank Gasaway, 58, will be assigned to Queen of All Saints and St. Mary Immaculate Conception Parishes in Michigan City.
• Deacon S. William Grimes, 56, will be assigned to St. Mary Parish in Crown Point.
• Deacon Robert Gromala, 44, will be assigned to St. John the Evangelist Parish in Saint John.
• Deacon Bradly Hendrickson, 59, will be assigned to St. Matthias Parish in Crown Point.
• Douglas Noveroske, 64, will be assigned to Notre Dame Parish in Michigan City.
• Deacon Ruben Ortiz II, 52, will be assigned to Nativity of Our Savior Parish in Portage.
• Deacon Robert Petro, 55, will be assigned to St. Patrick Parish in Chesterton and St. Ann of the Dunes Parish in Beverly Shores.
• Deacon Gilbert Sanchez, 57, be assigned to St. Patrick Parish in Chesterton and St. Ann of the Dunes Parish in Beverly Shores.
• Deacon Robert Wellinski, 59, will be assigned to Holy Family Parish in LaPorte.
• Deacon Paul Wilk, 61, will be assigned to St. Maria Goretti Parish in Dyer.
• Deacon Peter Wood, 51, will be assigned to Holy Spirit Parish in Winfield, St. Mary Parish in Kouts, and St. Helen Parish in Hebron.
• Deacon William Zientarski, 61, be assigned to Queen of All Saints and St. Mary Immaculate Conception Parishes in Michigan City.

      These ordinations will take place exactly one week after Bishop McClory ordained Fathers Steven Caraher and Zachary Glick to the sacred priesthood for the Diocese of Gary and during a time of National Eucharistic Revival in the Catholic Church in the United States. 

      The livestream and recording of the ordination liturgy will be available for viewing at https://tinyurl.com/2024deaconslive. After the liturgy, photos will be available at https://tinyurl.com/garydeacons2024.

About the Diocese of Gary 

The Diocese of Gary serves an estimated 170,000 Catholics in Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Starke counties through 58 parishes, two missions and one Catholic student center. The diocese has 17 parish elementary schools and three diocesan high schools, serving 5,982 students. An additional 5,342 students are enrolled in parish Catholic formation programs. The diocese is home to two post-secondary institutions. More than two million are served by Catholic-affiliated agencies, including seven Catholic hospitals, residential and daycare facilities for adults and children, and centers for Social Services. Learn more at dcgary.org. 

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Tuesday, December 26, through Friday, January 5, up to three children 13 years of age and under may ride any train for free — ALL weekend, holiday, off-peak, or rush hour weekday trains — when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Quiet car remains in effect on the last car of rush hour trains during this time.  

Nicole Barker, Director of Capital Investment & Implementation, said, “It’s important to us that we let our riders know how much we appreciate their loyal ridership throughout the year, and we wanted to do this at a time of year when more families and friends will be together. Hopefully offering free rides for kids on all trains will allow more families to enjoy the holiday activities along the South Shore Line and in Chicago.”  

Temporary busing to stations between Gary and Dune Park remains in effect: https://mysouthshoreline.com/south-shore-line-schedule-revision-service-announcement-oct-25-2023/.

Keep up with the SSL on social media for special announcements like these. In the past, the SSL has offered many free ride promotions for their riders. The Kids Ride Free program is part of the SSL’s ongoing effort to provide affordable and convenient transportation to and from South Bend, Northwest Indiana, and Chicago. Additionally, the SSL offers reduced fares for seniors, military personnel, commuting students, infants, and passengers with disabilities on all trains year-round.  

For more information on train schedules, discounts, and to plan a trip, please visit mysouthshoreline.com or download the SSL app (available for iPhone and Android).  

The South Shore Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago and the South Bend International Airport in South Bend, Indiana.

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“We’re working hard to identify the right people for the right positions so we can hit the ground running on Day 1 and provide enhanced customer service to the community,” she said. “We’ll be making multiple announcements over the next several weeks as we attempt to work with the current administration to ensure a smooth transition for everyone.”

With public safety a top priority for the incoming mayor, her first appointments are the new police chiefs.

“Public safety is a priority for our community and our neighborhoods,” Nelson Deuitch said. “Having safe, stable neighborhoods creates a sense of community pride, and we’re trying to bring people together.

“Our public safety officers and other city departments will work hand in hand to make that vision happen; but the key is that it’s going to take an effort by everybody.”

Beginning Jan. 1, Marty Corley will step into the role of Michigan City Police Chief.

“The ultimate goal is to have adequate staffing on the uniform patrol shifts and provide additional staff in the investigative division, including the detective bureau and La Porte County Drug Taskforce,” Corley said of his intentions coming into his new position. 

“Additionally, we will look to staff more officers in specialty units that will focus on more proactive and community-oriented policing. The Michigan City Police Department will aggressively pursue all opportunities to break down the barriers of police and citizens working together. The overall training of staff and additional manning of all divisions of the department will lead to stronger community outreach, including the training of officers to better assist people experiencing mental health emergencies.”

A 23-year veteran of the MCPD, Corley has been the assistant chief of operations since 2021. Prior, he served for 18 years on the department’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, 12 years in the investigative division, 7 years in the uniform patrol division, and more than 10 years as a drug recognition expert and Indiana law enforcement certified instructor, among other roles.

Steve Forker, who has been police chief since October 2022, will trade positions with Corley, taking over the role of assistant chief of operations.

“Over the last 14 months, Chief Corley, Chief Cooney and I have had the opportunity to work closely together to strengthen our police department,” Forker said. “What makes our team great is the trust, respect and commitment for each other, and how that carries to the entire department. 

“The three of us have had opportunities to work with each other in different divisions over the years, which allows us to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and how we can complement each other. We operate as a cohesive team, prioritizing the department and community needs.”

Forker has been with the MCPD for 18 years. His previous positions within the department include patrol officer, field training officer, member of the SWAT team (where he was promoted to Alpha Team Leader in 2015), general investigator, school resource officer, and commander of the Division of Professional Standards.

Dave Cooney will remain in his position as assistant chief of services.

“As chief of services, my role is to provide support in managing the department’s financial priorities effectively,” Cooney explained. “I monitor and analyze financial data, create budget projections, identify cost-saving opportunities, assist with financial forecasting and planning, ensure the department’s resources are allocated appropriately, research and evaluate potential grant initiatives, and provide Chief Corley with the necessary information to make informed decisions.

“Going forward into 2024, continuing education for all officers and supervisors will be a top priority, as well as expanding each division within the department with qualified personnel.”

In his 17 years with the MCPD, Cooney has served as assistant chief of operations, a shift sergeant in the patrol division, detective, crime scene investigator, and a member of the SWAT team, where he served as interim commander. He also is an Indiana Data and Communications System (IDACS) coordinator, Records Management System (RMS) manager, certified VirTra instructor, and member of the MCPD’s pension board.

“I’m excited to keep the complement of Marty Corley, Steve Forker and Dave Cooney, who will continue implementing programs and public safety measures together as a team,” Nelson Deuitch said. 

“Over the last year, they’ve done a great job recruiting and increasing the number of new hires. Now, we want to focus on community policing. I’m very confident in the three of them and the work they’ve done.”

In their current roles, Forker, Corley and Cooney have focused on recruiting in order to counter an exodus of officers that left the MCPD significantly understaffed. After hiring 19 new officers over the past year, the department expects to enter 2024 just one officer shy of a full complement of 84.

“The administrative team will transition the focus to beefing up training for our young staff so they can better serve our community with integrity, dedication and professionalism. This will include professional development of staff in areas of leadership and communication,” Corley said.

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The fire was extinguished before Crown Point Fire Rescue arrived. No one was injured.

Merrillville Fire Department also responded to the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and being handled by the Lake County Sheriff’s Department.

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This year’s honey yield, which tripled last year’s harvest, stands at 480 pounds with an additional 170 pounds expected in the final harvest over the next few weeks.

“We did amazing this year,” says John Bachmann, grounds and landscape manager at PNW. “We waited until August to do the first pull, which was double our entire output from last year. Beekeepers typically do a spring harvest, however, we didn’t this year because we were looking to grow our hives. While we had a few more hives this year we also had some challenges.”

This past spring, Bachmann discovered that three of the original eight hives failed over the winter. “We were fortunate that four of the hives on the Hammond campus wintered well and we were able to split those hives to create new colonies.” The split colonies helped the total number of PNW apiaries grow to eleven across the three locations.

The honeybee hives, introduced to the PNW community in spring 2021, produced 200 pounds of honey in the first harvest and saw the launch of the “Pride Gold” brand.

Students from PNW’s Honors College will be helping to bottle and label this year’s harvested honey.

Preparing For Winter

The next step after the final honey harvest will be to ensure the hives are winter-ready. Bachmann, along with Nicky Jones, owner of Earthling Bee Company, will start by removing the empty supers from each of the hives. While the bee colonies have already stored honey and pollen for use during the winter, Bachmann and Jones will make sure the bees have enough food for the cold months ahead. Once the tops have been placed on the hives, the apiaries are wrapped with roofing paper, the hive entrances will be reduced and bee food will be added on top of the hives.

When the temperature drops below 50 degrees, the worker bees will form a winter cluster by gathering into a ball in the middle of the hive surrounding the queen and her brood. As the worker bees squeeze together they will rapidly vibrate their muscles to keep the hive at a balmy 95 degrees throughout the winter.

Bachmann is hopeful that all eleven hives will survive the winter. As for predictions on next year’s honey harvest, he remains optimistic. “If all the hives produce, I don’t see why we couldn’t double this year’s harvest yield,” says Bachmann.

Sustainability

As part of the university’s efforts to benefit sustainability and create a green environment, the bee project helps bring urban agriculture to the forefront on the campuses and in the surrounding communities.

Bees are vital to pollination, which in turn is instrumental to the agricultural economy. Pollination helps maintain genetic diversity, productivity of ecosystems and a greater variety of crops.

“Our campuses have many different species of trees, plants, and flowers,” says Bachmann. “Having bees will not only have a dramatic effect on how they produce but will help ensure their longevity for years to come.”

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But what if physical activity could help older adults feel less alone, even if they were exercising alone?

Researchers from AARP Services Inc., UnitedHealthcare and OptumLabs set out to investigate this question, focusing on two areas:

• Could physical activity help to reduce social isolation and/or loneliness?
• Could physical activity promote higher levels of resilience, purpose or positive perception of aging?

There’s a continued emphasis on supporting older adults as they work to find meaning, purpose and resilience as they age. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it may have been harder to find opportunities to exercise, which contributed to greater feelings of social isolation and loneliness.

The results of the study point to strong evidence that physical activity can help older adults feel less alone and socially isolated, as well as positively increase their feelings of resilience and purpose.

Researchers found that:

• Moderate and high physical activity were associated with significantly reduced rates (15%-30% lower) of severe loneliness and social isolation
• The same level of physical activity was also associated with improved feelings (27%-150% higher) of resilience, purpose and a positive perception of aging

The level of physical activity came from the number of days a week someone would exercise (even walking or gardening), not the intensity of the exercise itself. Moderate to high levels ranged between three to four days a week or five-plus days a week, respectively.

“Continuing to be physically active over time may be one of the best things older adults can do for themselves to promote healthy aging—mental, physical, and emotional,” said Shirley Musich, Senior Research Director at OptumInsight and one of the co-authors of the study.

There are many ways older adults can get the exercise they need. For UnitedHealthcare Medicare members with Renew Active^® – the gold standard in Medicare fitness programs for body and mind – resources are available to help keep members on track with their health and wellness. These include:

• Access to over 22,000 gyms and fitness locations – or, if they prefer to work out at home, access to thousands of on-demand workout videos and live streaming fitness classes
• Customized online workouts from Age Bold to help prevent falls
• Membership costs paid for online or in-person social clubs as part of Element3 Health

To find UnitedHealthcare plans that offer Renew Active and more, visit UHCMedicareHealthPlans.com

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“While we certainly did buy a lot of toys, we made sure to provide the basic necessities for our youth that might not always have everything they need. They year, we really wanted to display our thoughtfulness. For a lot of families, the holiday season can be an immense financial burden,” said Director of Community Outreach, Wendy Mang, “We are hopeful that this moment of joy affects their home life, their academic life, and so on. We had over 200 volunteers at the event, and this only scratches the surface of the massive community effort that made this year so great. I am honored to be a part of it.”

Each year, the organization identifies Club members in need, and sponsors and volunteers come together todonate, shop for presents, and decorate, all in an effort to give Club members a magical holiday.

Volunteers consisted of groups like Meyers Glaros, First Merchant’s Bank, Centier Bank, Safety Kleen, Portage Exchange Club, Lake County Police Department, and many of the Valparaiso University Athletic Programs, including the football team, baseball team, volleyball team, and girls’ basketball team.

For incoming interim-CEO, Larry Moore, this was his first experience with Christmas to Remember.

“The holidays are a time of joy, hope, and togetherness, and I’m so proud to be part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana.

Through our organization, we help to bring the spirit of the season to all of our members, helping families bridge the financial gap many face during the holidays. With this being my first Christmas to Remember in my time with the organization, I am glad that the turnout was so strong for our kids.”

This year’s Christmas to Remember program was co-presented by Meijer and Peoples Bank. In addition to gifts, the organization will provide 500 holiday meals to Club families, courtesy of the combined efforts of Strack & Van Til, Aunt Millie’s, and Indiana Beverage.

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The recognition was announced Thursday at the IHA Labor of Love Summit in Indianapolis.

INspire, funded by the Indiana Department of Health’s Safety PIN grant, was developed to implement the delivery of best practice care for Hoosier moms and babies and recognize hospitals for excellence in addressing key drivers of infant and maternal health.

Franciscan Health Hospitals Crown Point, Michigan City, Indianapolis, LafayetteEast and Mooresville earned the designation based on implementing best practices in six key areas, including infant safe sleep, breastfeeding, tobacco prevention and cessation, perinatal substance use, obstetric hemorrhage and maternal hypertension.

“We have made a commitment at Franciscan Health Michigan City to positively impact maternal and infant morbidity/mortality,” said Patricia DeStefano, manager of the Franciscan Health Michigan City Family Birth Center. “We are grateful to the state, Governor Holcomb and Dr. Kristina Box for setting the bar high and challenging us to do our best work … The reward will be when we see the numbers move in a positive direction.  We want the women and children of our community to be thriving and a lower infant mortality rate means the health of our community is improving. “

Carrie Renschen, MSN, RNC-NIC, director of the Family Birth Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Franciscan Health Crown Point, said the staff strives to improve the care they provide to mothers and newborns year over year.

“The INspire award demonstrates our commitment to excellence and quality improvement initiatives,” Renschen said. “IHA continues to raise the bar for hospitals and we are proud that our team has exceeded the expectations for three years straight.  We look forward to learning what areas of excellence IHA determines for the coming year.” 

Preliminary data released by the Indiana Department of Health shows the statewide infant mortality rate fell from 6.8 per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 6.5 in 2019. The mortality rate among Black infants fell from 13.0 in 2018 to 11.0 in 2019.  A total of 527 Indiana babies died before their first birthdays in 2019, down from 559 in 2018 and 602 in 2017.

“Franciscan Health’s dedication to quality improvement in maternal and child health is truly inspirational,” said Brittany Waggoner, IHA Maternal and Infant Quality Improvement Advisor. “Despite the challenges our Indiana delivering facilities are facing today, they remain committed to creating a highly-reliable obstetric care system for moms and babies across Indiana.”

The Indiana Hospital Association serves as the professional trade association for more than 170 acute care, critical access, behavioral health, and other specialized hospitals in Indiana.

A virtual tour of the Franciscan Health Crown Point Family Birth Center is available on the Franciscan Health YouTube channel.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWJ0vQ3a9R0.

To learn more about the Franciscan Health Crown Point Family Birth Center, call (219) 757-6330. To learn more about the Franciscan Health Michigan City Family Birth Center, call (219) 877-1610.

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